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Week-Days in Lent. 



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THE REV. G. HfWILKINSON, M.A., 
\\ 

Author of " Guide to a Devout Life" " Break up Your Fallow 
Ground" " Come to the Mission?" 1 etc. 





NEW YORK: A 
E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY, 
713 Broadway. 
1874. 



.Ldi-L 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by 

E. P. DUTTON & CO., 
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



The Lit 

OF CoNGk 






WASHINGTON 



CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 




Monday. 




God's Ideal, . 


7 


Tuesday. 




The Cry for Light, 


21 


Wednesday. 




" Behold the Lamb of God," 


. 41 


Thursday. 




Self-Searching, 


DO 


Friday. 




Why? . 


. 75 


Saturday. 




The Blessing of Contrition, . 


93 



INTRODUCTORY. 



The following pages contain the substance 
of the notes taken by a member of the con- 
gregation, of Lectures delivered in St. Peter's, 
Eaton Square, during the Lent of 187 1. 

They were afterward expanded into a 
course of Sermons preached in St. Paul's 
Cathedral during the Lent of 1873. 

For the sake of those who are strangers 
to the Author's general teaching, it may be 
well to state that a special course of Lectures 
on Holy Communion is given every year, in 
St. Peter's. The omission, in this and other 
works, of any direct reference to that Holy 
Sacrament, arises from his wish to concen- 
trate the attention of his hearers on the single 
object proposed for their consideration. 



vi IXTRODUCTORY. 

He ventures to hope that, although origi- 
nally intended for Lenten teachings, the 
thoughts contained in these Lectures may 
be used by God the Holy Ghost in pre- 
paring Church-workers for taking an active 
part in the solemn work to which we have 
been summoned by the Bishops of the Metro- 
politan Dioceses ; — the London Mission of 
1874. 

" Sanctify yourselves : for to-morrow the 
Lord will do wonders among you." 



SOME WEEK-DAYS IN LENT. 



JKlnnttag, 

god's ideal. 

Let me begin by drawing in broad outline 
a sketch of the Christian Life, as it has been 
depicted by the Holy Spirit in the Bible, 
and confirmed by the experience of God's 
people in every place and generation. 

God, of His own Free-Will, — simply be- 
cause He chose to do so, — elected you and 
me out of all the millions of mankind. When 
we knew neither good nor evil, and were un- 
able to discern His Love, He, of His own 
Will, baptized us into the Kingdom of Christ, 
and made each of us "a member of Christ, 
the child of God, and an inheritor of the 
Kingdom of Heaven." 

God then gave us over to the rest of the 
Body, — the Church, — and bade His Church 



40 42 44 




8 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT, 

to instruct us in Holy Scripture, in order that 
the Holy Spirit, pledged to us by virtue of 
our Baptism, might work in us by means of 
that Word of God, and develop in us the con- 
scious Christian Life. 

Long before it can understand what God 
has done for it, or what God is doing within 
it, the Christian child, whose course I am 
describing, becomes the subject of those influ- 
ences of Divine Grace which are continually 
circulating through the whole Body. These 
influences are increasingly felt, as its higher 
being is developed. And, sooner or later — 
unless, through the neglect of parents, or 
through its own self-will, it grows up without 
instruction in the things of God — the Holy 
Ghost enables it to realize, for itself, "the 
first principles of the doctrine of Christ " 
(Heb. vi. i). 

i. He convinces it of sin. — He makes that 
child feel that it has an evil nature, and has 
been led by that evil nature into definite acts 
of sin. Under His teaching, the soul learns 
to say : " I have sinned. I have tried to be 



MONDA Y. 9 

good, again and again, and I have failed. My 
prayers are cold, and full of wandering 
thoughts. I have no love for God. My 
religion is a burden, not a pleasure. My tem- 
per does not improve, in spite of all my efforts. 
I love my own will and my own way. I have 
done this and that, which I ought not to have 
done. I have left undone this and that, which 
I ought to have done. I have offended against 
God's holy Law." 

2. He reveals the Atonement. — Gradually, or 
quickly, — for God will not be limited, — in the 
course of weeks, or months, or sometimes in 
a single hour ; or, in some rare cases, extend- 
ing the work through years, — the Spirit takes 
the same Holy Scriptures, and reveals to 
the awakened conscience this glorious fact : 
" God hath reconciled us to Himself by 
Jesus Christ" (II. Cor. v. 18). "These 
sins," He says, " which thou art beginning to 
discover, were known to God from all Eter- 
nity. For them thy Saviour has atoned. 
Past, Present, and Future, are equally present 
to God. He knew, beforehand, the sins of 



IO SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

the whole world. And, knowing that sin had 
in it a poison which could not be eradicated 
at less cost, God put away sin by the Precious 
Blood of His Dear Son. He laid the sin of 
the world, past, present, and future, on Jesus 
Christ. Behold the Lamb of God, which 
taketh away the sin of the world ! Thy debt 
is paid. He was wounded for thy transgres- 
sions ; He was bruised for thine iniquities. 
The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity 
of — all. Come into the closeness and near- 
ness of a soul reconciled with God, without 
the shadow of a doubt, and call God thy 
Father." 

Thus working on the individual soul, by 
means of the Bible — this is important ; not 
by means of its own transient feelings, — the 
Holy Ghost opens its eyes to the great Fact 
which Christ declared on the Cross : " It is 
finished." 

3. He gains the Will for God. — He is not 
satisfied with showing the soul its own guilt ; 
nor even with showing it the completeness of 
its individual salvation. Still working by 



MONDAY. II 

means of the Bible — bringing the Bible to 
bear on this individual soul, — He teaches it 
that there must be Self-Surrender. He points 
out to the young Christian the absolute claim 
of God upon his whole being. " My son, give 
me thy heart." " If One died for all, then all 
died. And He died for all, that they which 
live should not henceforth live unto them- 
selves, but unto Him which died for them, 
and rose again " (II. Cor. v. 14, 15). 

The order in which these foundation truths 
are learnt may vary in each separate case, and 
the means by which the result is attained are 
likewise manifold. A sermon — a book — the 
voice of a friend — a Providence — a memory 
of past years suddenly flashing across the 
mind, we know not whence — any of these 
may serve as instruments, to God the Holy 
Ghost. He points out, it may be, from God's 
Word, the reality of Hell, with its exceeding 
terror. Or He draws aside the veil, and 
shows the glory and beauty of the heavenly 
Kingdom. Or He reveals the Person of the 
Saviour — the attractiveness of the Lord 



12 SOME WEEK-DAYS IN LENT. 

Jesus Christ. He unfolds the grandeur of 
that lonely life — the strength of that stern 
protest against evil — the tenderness which 
would not break the bruised reed, nor quench 
the smoking flax — which would not suffer the 
widow at the gate of Nam to weep one un- 
needed tear — which could forget His own 
hunger and thirst, that He might seek and 
help and save the poor sinner of Samaria. 
He sets forth the constraining Love of those 
long years of suffering, and of that Death of 
shame : the pierced Hands — the wounded 
Side — the Head crowned with thorns. 

It matters not how. In some way or other, 
the Holy Spirit has won that soul for Christ. 
The Lord has been revealed, and it ceases to 
confer with flesh and blood. Convinced of 
sin, the young Christian believes in the Lord 
Jesus Christ, receives humbly what Christ 
has done for him, accepts thankfully the 
blessings of his Baptism, and yields himself 
up, in the mysterious freedom of his Will, to 
Jesus Christ : devotes himself entirely to 
the King whom he has learnt to recognize as 



MONDAY. 13 

the rightful Lord of his being. There is an 
honest Self-Surrender. 

This Surrender is generally very imperfect, 
at first, like that of the Fishermen of Galilee. 
But — like theirs — it is true, so far as it 
goes. 

The words used may be few. " Lord, I 
have been wavering, all my life : religious, in 
some society ; worldly, in others : halting be- 
tween two opinions. But now, I have made 
up my mind. I see Thee ! And whatsoever 
Thou shalt tell me to do, — though the flesh 
may resist, and I may have to cry out for 
strength to bear my pain, — that I will do. 
With that Will which I consciously possess, I 
give myself to Thee." 

This Recognition of Guilt, and Belief in 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and Surrender of trie 
Will — are formally recognized and endorsed 
by the Church in her Confirmation Service. 

Then commences the conscious Christian 
Life. The soul begins, feebly though it be, 
to try to follow the Lamb whithersoever He 



14 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

goeth ; to grow in grace ; to crush, by degrees, 
one after another, its besetting sins. 

Two Results follow : (i.) It has a greater 
sense of its own weakness ; it becomes more 
diffident of itself, more tolerant of others, 
more ashamed of its own sinfulness. 

(n.) Yet, side by side with this humbling 
discipline, the Saviour is more clearly re- 
vealed : His Love— His Tenderness— His 
Strength, "made perfect in weakness," more 
fully realized. And so, the soul becomes 
more calm, more peaceful, more able to com- 
mit all to Him, "against that Day " (II. Tim. 
i. 12). 

Life rolls on. This mingled consciousness 
increases. And at last, to the aged Christian, 
if we accept the light of Scripture and the 
biographies of saints, there comes a twofold 
experience. There is a physical shrinking— 
never condemned in the Bible— from the 
surroundings of death. But, together with 
this, the Door into Heaven seems to open 
wider, and the old saint looks through, and 



MONDA Y. 15 

sees the faces of those whom he has loved on 
earth, and beholds more clearly the Lord 
Jesus Christ, the King in His beauty. He 
tastes beforehand something of the happiness 
of Heaven, where they shall hunger no more, 
neither thirst any more; where God shall 
wipe away all tears from their eyes. He 
realizes the Rest and Peace of that happy 
Land, more than he was ever able to realize it 
in the days of his strength. There is no re- 
gretful looking back to happy days of youth, 
when he was working, and enjoying life, and 
influencing others. For him, the joy is yet to 
come : there, — in Jerusalem which is above ! 

This is the ideal of the Christian's life on 
earth. But, I appeal to you, is it not a fact, 
that this ideal is scarcely realized at all among 
us? 

How few, on the threshold of the grave, 
appear to be really looking forward with joy 
to the Home beyond ! How few find any 
pleasure in talking of it ! 

And how few — even of real Christians — 
from one Lent to another, show any signs of 



1 6 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

spiritual progress ! How little do we see of 
growth in grace and in the knowledge and 
love of God; — of "forgetting those things 
which are behind, and reaching forth unto 
those things which are before ! " 

How few there are of whom we could sav : 
" He has grown so much more large-hearted ; 
he used to be so narrow ! " Or — " She is 
so much more gentle than she used to be ! " 
Or — " So much more kind and courteous ; 
that old rough manner seems gradually dying 
out." Or — even in outward things — "How 
much less he spends on self! How different 
the tone of his conversation ! How much 
more of the Spirit of Christ does he now 
carry into his daily work ! Though he has 
not much time for extra work, he is speaking 
bravely for Christ to the men whom he 
meets every day; praying first, and then 
going forth in the strength gained by prayer ! " 
How seldom do we observe these signs of 
growth in grace! Nay, further: how few 
have any clear knowledge of their position in 
the sierht of God ! The mass of Christians 



MONDAY. 17 

seem all in a mist. All that they can say is — 
they are "not as good as they should be." 
They cannot tell whether Christ died for 
them, or not ; whether they are forgiven or 
not! They have only a vague hope that all 
will be well at last. 

These are not careless souls. I am not 
speaking to any such. All of you are, more 
or less, in earnest ; really wishing to be better. 
And yet — is it not true ? — two-thirds of even 
such a week-day congregation as this are full 
of misgivings : not the sort of misgivings which 
all of us have — and ought to have — about our 
own carelessness and short-comings, — but 
misgivings as to whether or no they are really 
accepted by God ! 

Why is all this ? 

One reason is — the want of definiteness. 
What I desire, therefore, this Lent, is to help 
you to be definite. 

Ask God the Blessed Spirit to help me, 
and to help you ; for Satan will try to hinder 
us. And do not be content with merely 
praying, but make an effort. 



1 8 SOME WEEK-DAYS IX LENT. 

" With one hand work, and with the other pray, 
And God will bless them both, from day to day." 

Begin, then, this first week in Lent, and do 
something definite. Take Psalm cxxxix. vv. 
i-ii, and the last two verses: take this, and 
the story about blind Bartimaeus, in the Gos- 
pel for last Sunday (St. Luke, xviii. 35-43.) 

Set apart a quarter-of-an-hour, extra, every- 
day—each of you, except those who already 
devote all the time that they possibly can 
devote, to prayer. 

Put yourself in the presence of Jesus 
Christ. Try to picture that blind man. 
Jesus is passing by; he cries for help. The 
multitude try to hinder him ; he cries so much 
the more. Our Lord stands still : He calls 
him. Determined to press on, he casts aside 
his garment. Then the question is asked: 
"What wilt thou that I should do unto 
thee ? " " Lord," he answers,—" Lord, that 
I may receive my sight." 

Then try to grasp this thought. Perhaps I 
am blind, like Bartimaeus! I may be quite 
mistaken as to my own state. I may be on 



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20 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

seat, boldly, at the Marriage Feast ; and then 
— when the King came in to see the guests, 
to find that King fixing on you His piercing 
Eye — that Eye from which you will not be 
able to escape, any more than you and I can 
really escape it at this moment ! And then — 
to hear Him say : " Friend ! Friend ! How 
earnest thou in hither, not having on a wed- 
ding garment ? " 

May the Blessed Spirit make that thought 
of the Eye of Christ — of your Judge — so 
real to you, that Satan shall be powerless to 
stop your lips, when the cry is going up 
to God, in that quiet quarter-of-an-hour : 
" Search me, O God ! " 



THE CRY FOR LIGHT. 

In my last Lecture, I tried to set before 
you God's ideal of the Christian life. 

I showed you (i) that God, of His own 
Free-Will, brought us into the Church of His 
Son Jesus Christ — set His love upon us and 
chose us (Deut. vii. 6-8) ; so that we have a 
right to claim for ourselves the help of His 
Holy Spirit, and have that Blessed Spirit 
actually working within us. 

(2.) That God has given us the Holy 
Scriptures, as the means by which the Holy 
Ghost awakens in us a sense of sin, reveals 
the Saviour, and leads us to yield ourselves 
to Him as our rightful Lord and Master. 
In other words — that the Holy Spirit, by 
means of the Bible, convinces the soul, unless 



22 SOME WEEK-DAYS IX LENT. 

it resists His teaching, "of sin, of righteous- 
ness, and of judgment " (St. John, xvi. 8). 

(3.) That when these three Truths have 
been learnt, and the soul has thus yielded 
itself, however feebly, to the Lord who 
bought it, then begins the Conscious Chris- 
tian Life; a life which deepens as it flows 
on, in Penitence — in Trust — in Self-Surrender 
until it is perfected in the life of the world to 
come. 

Next, we saw, that one great reason why 
this ideal is so seldom realized, is this : the 
want of defi?iiteness. 

Is it not true ? The mass of professing 
Christians have never learnt to knrw them- 
selves. They have no idea where they are 
standing, in the sight of God. All seems 
vague and misty. Have they realized their 
sin ? Have they believed in the Forgiveness 
of sins? Do they know the power of the 
Blood of Christ ? Have they yielded heart 
and life to Him ? If so, are they growing in 
grace ? — They cannot tell ! At best, they are 
wishing to do right — longing to please God, 



2 3 



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the battle? " (L Cor. xhr. 8.) 

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people who win read them. But what we 
want is — something more than this. We 



24 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

want personal wit?iessing for a personal Sav- 
iour. 

We want men and women on whom the 
Church could depend, as sure to stand 
bravely on the Lord's side, in whatever 
society they might be thrown. We want a 
little band of Believers ! — of Believers, in the 
deepest sense : conscious, indeed, of weakness 
and infirmity ; often failing, and confessing 
their own sinfulness to the end : yet strong in 
the Lord, and in the power of His might ; — 
living epistles, known and read of all men 
(Eph. vi. 10 ; II. Cor. iii. 1-3). 

We want people that have a definite object 
in life ; — one end and aim throughout — alike 
in the dull winter, and in the exciting London 
Season : — to glorify God, and bear witness for 
the Lord Jesus Christ (I. Cor. x. 31 ; St. 
John, xv. 27; Phil. ii. 15, 16: iii. 13, 14). 

The young married woman, in whose pres- 
ence the voice of scandal is hushed : — who 
has courage to protest against the degrading 
literature that robs so many of their early- 
purity ; — who will say to her friend : u Forgive 



TUESDA Y. 25 

me for speaking, but is it right to read that 
book ? " — or who will gently stop the young 
girl whom she finds reading some newspaper 
report, and say : " My child, you must not 
read this : it is a shame even to speak of such 
things " (Eph. v. 12 ; Isa. xxxiii. 15 ; Prov. iv. 
14, 15 ; St. Matt. v. 8). 

The young man, who, when he hears his 
Lord insulted, in the pleasant country-house 
where he is staying, will speak out, — not 
rudely, forgetting all that the Bible says about 
courtesy, yet bravely and firmly : who will 
pray silently, when he hears those sinful 
words, and then — when his opportunity 
comes, — will lift up his heart afresh to God, 
and say quietly : " You know that such a 
story ought never to have been repeated ; " 
or — " Surely you do not think that was the 
right way of spending Sunday ? " 

Such witnesses, thank God, are still to be 
found among us. Deep is their influence. 
Cheering it is, to watch them : so quiet and 
unobtrusive, yet so ready to speak, when 
needed ! 



26 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

But why are there so few? Why are not 
all of us among their number ? Why is there 
so much feebleness, and wavering, and incon- 
sistency ? 

In many cases, I believe that this arises from 
a fear — a reasonable and right fear — of hy- 
pocrisy. The soul is ignorant of its own 
state, and therefore it naturally feels itself 
unfit to help others. 

To counteract this vagueness — in one re- 
spect, at any rate, by helping you to gain 
Self-Knowledge, — is my present aim. 

But if, by the aid of the Holy Ghost, that 
aim is to be attained, you must co-operate; 
you must stir up the gift of God that is in 
you. 

With this end in view, I asked you, in the 
last Lecture, to spend fifteen minutes, every 
day, in meditating on the history of Barti- 
mseus, with the help of Ps. cxxxix. ; praying, 
with Bartimasus, " Lord, that I may receive 
my sight ! " 

Many of you will have done this. And 



TUESDAY. 27 

some may have tried, and failed, and given it 
up in despair. 

Do not lose heart. Try again. Victory 
comes after many a defeat. The Soldier of 
Christ rises up again and again, however 
often defeated : soiled and stained, it may be, 
with his fall; yet grasping the same good 
sword again, and going out once more against 
the enemy. Rise up, then. Prepare for a 
struggle. Do not spare yourselves trouble. 
Make one more effort. 

Begin now to take half-an-hour, instead of 
a quarter-of-an-hour, for this work of Self- 
Examination . As Lent advances, we ought 
to be gaining more strength ; we ought to be 
able to do more. 

Take half-an-hour, then, every day. Kneel 
quietly down. Close your eyes. Try to rea- 
lize that the Eye of God is upon you ; — that 
you are alone with that God Who has been 
watching you from infancy to the present hour, 
and Who knows every thought, word, and deed, 
of your whole life. Ask God the Holy Ghost 
to fix your mind on what you are doing. 



28 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

Try to anticipate the Judgment. Try to 
see what is written about you in that Book of 
God's Remembrance, of which He has said 
that it shall be " opened " in that Day when 
" we shall all appear before the Judgment Seat 
of Christ" (Eccl. xii. 14; IT. Cor. v. 10; 
Rev. xx. n, 12). Picture the Great White 
Throne — the opened Books — the Day when 
all your secret thoughts shall be published to 
men and angels ! Think of all this, quietly. 

Then take pencil and paper (this is abso- 
lutely necessary to beginners, and helpful to 
all, in Self-Examination) ; and try to break up 
your life into portions : — your childhood, your 
school-days, etc. Begin with the portion 
nearest to the present time. From your old 
age, go back to your middle life; then to 
youth, and then to childhood. 

Be prepared to see nothing, at first, but 
blanks, or one or two very flagrant sins : but 
believe that God is there to help you. Pray 
to Him : " Search me, O God ! Help me to 
look into my heart — to see my life as Thou, 
O God, seest it ! " 



TUESDAY. 29 

The work will be very slow and imperfect, 
at first: for Religion, like any other profes- 
sion, needs practice. Therefore, do not be 
disheartened. 

By degrees, God will bring some old sin to 
your remembrance. Thank Him for having 
shown you that one sin. Take courage, and 
go on. Shut your eyes, and try to surround 
yourself with your old circumstances — the 
house, the people, etc. And gradually, by 
the Law of Association, forgotten sins will 
come back, and you will be surprised how the 
list will swell. You will not wonder any more 
at the striking story of the drowning man, 
who, as the waves were breaking over him, 
seemed to hear his mother's voice, saying : 
" Who stole those grapes ? " The memory of 
his first great sin came back. Those grapes 
stolen from the little brother's sick-room ! 

It is the parable of life : — the picture of 
what many a soul will hear — too late ! — with 
weeping and gnashing of teeth — when the 
sins of a lifetime shall flash on the awakened 
conscience. 



30 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

Anticipate that Day, now, while every cor- 
ner of your heart can be cleansed ; now — in 
this "accepted time," when you may find 
"Pardon and Peace" (Collect for the 21st 
Sunday after Trinity). Persevere — at least 
till next week — in thus going over your past 
life, as in the sight of God. 

Many, however, of those to whom I speak, 
have long ago learnt the guilt of sin, and the 
peace of forgiveness. You can look back to 
the time when you were filled with joy and 
peace in believing; — when you felt that to 
live was Christ, and to die was gain. 

You know, however, that you are not what 
you used to be; — not so earnest about your 
own soul, or the souls of others. You have 
not advanced in the spiritual life. There is 
reason to fear that you have gone " backward, 
and not forward " (Jer. vii. 24). 

For you also, definite Self-Examination is 
necessary. You also, on your knees, with pen- 
cil and paper to write down the result, must 
pray, with the Psalmist : " Search me, O God ! " 



TUESDAY. 31 

There will, however, be some differences of 
detail, in your case. 

Leave your ordinary books of devotion, and 
use a fresh set of Questions for Self-Exami- 
nation ; or the " Duty to God and to your 
neighbor," in the Church Catechism. Above 
all, use the Bible itself. Test your life by the 
standard of God's own Word. Meditate — 
verse by verse — on such passages as I. Cor. 
xiii. ; Rom. xii. xiii. ; Gal. v. 22, to vi. 4 ; II. 
Cor. v. 14, 15, 17; St. Matt. v. 3-13. Turn 
each verse into a personal question. For in- 
stance : " What marks of this < Charity ' has 
God seen in my daily life? Have I really 
given myself to God as a ' living sacrifice ? ' 
What work have I done, as a member of 
Christ's Body? How much of my time, 
money, energies, etc., have I spent for God ? 
What sacrifices have I made for Christ ? 
Has His Love really constrained me to live 
for Him ? I have done many things to please 
myself, and to please my friends ; what have 
I done to please Him? How much of 'the 
fruit of the Spirit ' has appeared in my life ? 



32 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

Have I been among those whom Christ calls 
'blessed;' — poor in spirit, meek, merciful, 
etc. ? " 

Begin this Self-Examination from the time 
when you were first awakened — when you 
first believed in your Saviour. Read II. Pet. 
i. 5-7 : iii. 18. Observe the gradual deepen- 
ing, in spiritual life, of the Apostles them- 
selves. Observe their growth in grace; — in 
humility, in trust, in self-surrender to their 
Lord. 

And then, ask yourself: "What prog- 
ress have I made? How many new efforts 
have I made each year, for the sake of 
Christ ? Have I been adding to faith, virtue, 
etc. ? Have I grown in grace ? Or have I, 
on the contrary, 'fallen from grace.' — lost the 
grace once given to me, — become more and 
more careless ? Is it possible ? If so, what 
made me go wrong? What first led me away 
from my Lord ? " Try to discover what has 
been the " beginning of the sin " (Micah, i. 
13). Try to find out what have been the 
leading sins — the most frequent sins — of your 



TUESDA Y. 33 

life. Face the Past, truly and bravely, as in 
the sight of God. 

TWO PRACTICAL CAUTIONS ARE HERE 
NEEDED. 

I. Go to the Root of your sins. — Do not be 
superficial. Dig deep down, till you find the 
root of the evil which has sprung up to trou- 
ble you. When you have found out a fresh 
fault, track it to its source. 

For instance : you write down, as the cause 
of your backsliding, " Neglect of Prayer." 
But this sin may proceed from various causes : 
— from indolence, or fear of ridicule ; or from 
a desire to secure more time for amusement, 
or for intellectual pursuits. Which has it 
been, in your own case ? 

Or you think that " Temper " has been your 
besetting sin. Then ask yourself: "What 
makes me angry ? Why do I give way to 
temper? Is it because I have such a good 
opinion of myself, that I think it unjust, when- 
ever I am blamed ? Or is it because I live so 
much on the opinion of others, and long so 



34 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

much to gain their love, that I am annoyed 
when they say or do anything which looks as 
if they did not care for me ? " In the former 
case, the root of your ill-temper would be 
Pride ; in the latter, it would be Love of Pop- 
ularity. 

If we do not wish to waste our strength in 
the spiritual combat, we must know the spe- 
cial form of self with which we have to deal. 
We may have to search deeply, before we find 
it. There is a spiritual self, as well as a 
worldly or carnal self. Satan's devices are 
manifold, and our own hearts are deceitful. 
This deep Self-Examination will not be easy 
work. But it is absolutely necessary, to defi- 
nite and successful warfare. " Fight neither 
with small nor great, but only with the King 
of Israel" (I. Kings, xxii. 31). ''Open the 
mouth of the cave, and bring out those five 
kings unto me out of the cave" (Josh. x. 22). 
" So fight I, not as one that beateth the air " 
(I. Cor. ix. 26). 

II. Do not be too ready to acquit yourself. — 
Do not hastily say : " This or that sin is not 



TUESDAY. 55 

:it ::" eliie Z : r:: ::s> irlie i~~ i-v- 

ziiv ; rssiz'.v :_--- 
:iin 2 ::nie~n:.:i:n :":: y:iz :~~l =:m1. 

J:: ::f::i:r: ~';:i y:u htiri :ie Llhirse 
:: h:r. rrrniunzti. in :he 1" :rnm:n:.:::n Ser- 
in hi~ : Lhe:h :he ziini :: r: 
out of his way," perhaps you said in your 
heart: u Thank God, this, at least, is a sin 
that I have never committed." 

Would to God that we could believe it, of 
all :ur CimmuninnTE ! 

Have you never led a blind soul out of 
the way, by your influence — your example— 
your thoughtless deeds — your careless words ? 
Look at that young girl, ignorant as yet of 
the glory of Heaven and the love of Christ 
— a poor, blind child, holding out its hand 
for guidance! How does many a mother 
ieil -ari:"- her~h:~ G:z h;-5 :h_s en:r\:5:ei 
to her care? She works for Satan! She 
reirhes her dmrh:er :: sjeni her srrenr:h 
and time on a world that "passeth awa 
She hi is her es:;nii:e i " z: : i mirriire " — 2. 
"z::i hnszmi"' — =:::r-iir.z :: :he :n:u:: 



36 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

of wealth offered, or the size of the estate ; 
not according to his devotion to God. O ye 
Mothers of London ! How many a blind 
child have ye caused to go out of her way ! 

Or again, we read : " Cursed is he that 
smiteth his neighbor secretly : " and we say 
to ourselves : " A cowardly act ! I would 
never condescend to anything so mean." 
And yet — the unkind tale — the disparaging 
remark — the significant look — the bitter taunt 
— the wilful wounding of another's feelings — 
the sharp word in secret — the wicked scandal 
— by which human hearts are crushed, and 
characters destroyed, and homes made miser- 
able ! — Where is the street in which a neigh- 
bor is not thus smitten, secretly, every day ? 

Again : " All Liars shall have their part in 
the lake which burneth with fire and brim- 
stone " (Rev. xxi. 8). Are we sure that our 
own character is not here described? Can 
we fearlessly bring to the light of God's 
Word all those " tricks of trade " — and of 
" Society " — which the world approves ? 

Remember the King who heard the history 



TUESDAY. 37 

of his own sin from the Prophet's lips, and 
listened to it just as many good people in 
these days listen to an arousing sermon, hop- 
ing that it will do good to — some one else ! — 
Thou poor blind David ! " Thou art the 
man ! " (II. Sam. xii. 1-7.) 

Be more ready to say : " Lord, is it I ? " — 
than to thank God that you are not as other 
men are (St. Luke, xviii. 10-15). 

In conclusion : 

Do not let Satan dishearten you. — Be strong, 
and of a good courage. Satan will try hard. 
Meet him bravely. 

The Enemy is never more near, than when 
he sees us in earnest about Self-Examination. 
When he cannot persuade us that God's 
warnings about the " Judgment to. come " 
have nothing to do with " Believers," and that 
all teaching which bids us examine ourselves, 
etc., is mere "bondage," then he tries another 
plan. He says to us : " It is useless, now. 
You are lost. You have gone too far. You 
have sinned the unpardonable sin. You can- 



38 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

not fix your thoughts on God, now. You 
cannot feel, or think, or pray. Give it up ! " 

Do not listen to Satan. " He is a liar, and 
the father of it " (St. John, viii. 44). Your 
case is not hopeless. The Holy Ghost is not 
yet quenched. How could you have any 
wish to be better, if He had left you to your- 
self? Throw back the lie in Satan's face. 
Answer him, by the Promise of your Lord : 
" Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise 
cast out" (St. John, vi. 37). "It is God 
which worketh in you, both to will and to do 
of His good pleasure " (Phil. ii. 13). 

You are not alone, in the struggle. " There 
hath no temptation taken you, but such as is 
common to man " (I. Cor. x. 13). These 
temptations are what many others — unknown 
to you — are passing through with you : they 
are only such as all must experience, in some 
measure, who try to commune with their own 
hearts and search out their spirits. Do not 
lose heart. Others have gone through this 
darkness before you, and passed out into light 
and liberty. " God is faithful, Who will not 



TUESDAY. 39 

suffer you to be tempted above that ye are 
able." 

Think of the Love of Jesus ! Your Cler- 
gyman can sympathize with you, in the strug- 
gle : he knows how hard it is for you. But 
there is One Who can give you deeper sym- 
pathy; One Who has loved you from the 
beginning, and marked you for His own at 
your Baptism : — One Who has been pleading 
with you all your life long : even that Good 
Shepherd Who " goeth into the mountains," 
to seek the one sheep that has gone astray 
(St. John, xv. 16; Haggai, ii. 5; St. Matt, 
xviii. 12). His Eye of Love is resting upon 
you ; His Right Hand is laid on you — whether 
you feel it or not — during that quiet time 
alone with Him, day by day. 

He knows the difficulties of this Self-Ex- 
amination. He is stronger than Satan. He 
has conquered the Enemy for you. He died 
for you, and rose again ; and He loves you 
too well to forsake you in this time of need. 

Be strong, then ! Be strong, and of a good 
courage. It is the Lord your God who 



40 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

goeth before you. Thank Him for what He 
has done for you already. Thank Him that 
He is not allowing you to spend this Lent 
carelessly, whatever may have been the case 
in past years. Be thankful unto Him for the 
Past. Trust Him for the Future. Persevere ! 
And yours shall be a bright and glorious 
Easter ! 



"behold the lamb of god." 

I take it for granted that those of you who 
have been travelling with us through the stony- 
paths of Self-Examination, have now attained 
to something like a definite knowledge of Self. 

You have searched into the Past : very im- 
perfectly, no doubt, but honestly, as in the 
sight of God. You have discovered certain 
sins on which you can lay your hand; and 
you have confessed those sins to God. How- 
ever little sorrow for sin may have been felt, 
the fact has been acknowledged : " I have 
sinned — against the Lord " (II. Sam. xii. 13 ; 
Josh. vii. 20; Ps. li. 3, 4; St. Luke, xv. 21). 

Following on this will come Contrition, and 
Amendment. But there is a starting-point 
from which we begin thus to mourn for sin, 
and to walk in newness of life. And I have 



42 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LEXT. 

great doubts whether all of you have as yet 
reached that starting-point. "Behold the 
Lamb of God ! " 

Some of you have done this already. You 
are now mourning for your sins with true con- 
trition of heart; — mourning, because those 
sins have pierced your Saviour (Zech. xii. 
10 ; Isa. liii. 5). Help us by prayer — you that 
have thus learnt the blessing of going back 
every night for Pardon to Him Who delights 
most in helping us, when we are most helpless. 
Pray that those who are yet captives may be 
set free, by the power of the Holy Ghost. 

With many of you, the whole result of Self- 
Examination, as yet, is a miserable feeling of 
dissatisfaction. You look back, and you see 
nothing but sins — more or less grievous ; 
broken promises, lost opportunities, a wasted 
life. You look within, and you find a mist — 
a darkness which may be felt. You look for- 
ward. It is a dreary Future ! You fear to 
face it. 

So you fly to the world — to business, pleas- 
ure, the society of friends, or even idle gossip 



WEDNESDA Y. 43 

— anything — to escape from self, and from 
thoughts of Judgment to come. Or — if saved 
from this folly — you sink into a formal, scrupu- 
lous, morbid religion, which begins and ends 
with Self, which gives no peace or power, and 
which is contrary to the whole spirit of the 
Gospel of Christ. 

For you, the teaching of this " Refreshment 
Sunday " — (4th Sunday in Lent) — seems es- 
pecially intended. 

The Gospel (St. John, vi. 1-14) tells of the 
Feast which God has provided. The Epistle 
(Gal. iv. 21-31) reminds you that you are not 
children of the Bondwoman, but of the Free. 
The Collect bids you pray that although you 
deserve to be punished, you may be mercifully 
relieved by the free grace of God. 

All that you have been passing through, 
during this Lent — all this sense of dissatisfac- 
tion and dreariness — has been leading you up 
to a definite point. Let us look at it more 
closely. 

That one wicked word which you now re- 
member — it can never be unsaid, even by a 



44 . SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

lifetime of devotion. That one deed of evil, 
however trifling, by which God was dishon- 
ored — it can never be undone, by any future 
holiness : not even if you could live the life 
of the Incarnate God Himself on earth. 
You cannot do more than your duty, in the 
Future (St. Luke, xvii. 10). You cannot make 
up for the Past. That one sinful thought, 
word or deed, has earned — for you and for 
me — the Death that knows no Resurrection 
(Rom. vi. 23). 

What you are now feeling — all this restless- 
ness — this dread of being alone — this fear of 
death — it is the shadow of a reality ! 

There is a class of shallow Philosophers 
who speak and write as if they alone believed 
in the Love and Fatherhood of God ! So far 
as their teaching opposes that caricature of 
the Gospel which represents God as a stern, 
unmerciful Judge, and Jesus Christ saving 
us out of His Hands — making the Father 
love His own children ! — so far, it is good. 
But when they stand up and speak to the 
ignorant as if they alone believed in God as 



WEDNESDA Y. 45 

a Father, have they not forgotten that in 
every Creed the Church declares: " I believe 
in God the Father Almighty ? " Can they 
ever have studied our Communion Office ? 

" Shallow " philosophers I call them ; for it 
is shallow teaching to ignore any part of 
God's Revelation, merely because we do not 
understand it. What is there that we do un- 
derstand, fully? May not even an earthly 
father have truths to reveal to his children in 
after life, which he cannot tell them in their 
infancy? Are we to leave out that part of 
God's Character which we find it hard to un- 
derstand — are we to forget His Holiness, and 
think only of His Love ? Shall we blot out 
all that His Word tells us of His Justice, be- 
cause it does not tally with our poor human 
ideas of Divine Being? 

It is shallow teaching — this popular theol- 
ogy ! " Do nothing very wicked. Be kind to 
your brothers and sisters. Trust them; be- 
lieve what they tell you ; do what they ask of 
you. But as to your Father in Heaven, trust 
Him, so far as it suits you j believe His Wods, 



46 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

so far as you have tested it by your own finite 
intelligence ; obey His commands, so far — as 
they appear to you reasonable ! " 

What God has taught you, this Lent, is far 
more true. What God has written will stand, 
when all this popular theology shall have 
passed away. "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the 
Lord of Hosts." "Just and true are Thy 
ways, Thou King of Saints " (Isa. vi. 3 ; Rev. 
xv. 3). History, Experience, Prophecy, — all 
tell us the same thing: "Be sure your sin- 
will FIND YOU OUT." 

It is a Law of the natural kingdom, that 
fire will burn : and it is a Law of the spiritual 
Kingdom, that " the wages of sin is death " 
(Rom. vi. 23). You cannot evade that Law. 
The Church is not content with half truths. 
She tells us, indeed, that God is our Father, 
and that God loves us ; but she also tells us 
that there is something in the nature of sin 
which makes it impossible for a sinner, in his 
sin, to enter Heaven (Rev. xxi. 27). What 
you are now feeling is true : Sin is a barrier. 
And God saw that it would be a barrier for 



WEDNESDA Y. 47 

ever, unless He Himself provided the means 
by which that barrier could be broken down. 
He knew all the sin of the world — past, pres- 
ent, future. And He knew that even one sin 
would be — ruin. 

Therefore — loving His sinful children — 
longing for them — God dealt with them right 
royally! He asked nothing at their hands. 
He said : " I will put away your sin by the 
Sacrifice of Myself." 

And Jesus, Who was God Himself (Acts, 
xx. 28) — one with the Father — this is what 
so many books ignore, which speak of God 
the Father as " wreaking His wrath on His 
Son," and use words too awful to repeat — 
Jesus, Who loves us with a Love unconceiv- 
able, — Who knew what was involved in the 
loss of one soul, and knew what sin deserved, 
— took the sin of all sinners, past, present, 
and future, on Himself. " He was wounded 
for our transgressions," etc. (Isa. liii. 5). He 
gathered up into one, the manifold debt of 
the world, — and paid it all, with His own Life- 
Blood, on Calvary. He became the Sin- 



48 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

Bearer. On Him was laid your sin, and my 
sin. All that was needed, in the sight of 
God, to put away sin, Jesus did, and Jesus 
suffered. And then, on the Cross, He said : 
"It is finished." 

Thus Jesus Christ has made " a full, per- 
fect, and sufficient Sacrifice, Oblation, and 
Satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world." 

Therefore — i. <?., on account of that one 
sacrifice once made — His Church sets forth 
the offer of Free Pardon. " Though your 
sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as 
snow" (Isa. i. 18). 

Brethren, you know all this ! It was the 
substance of our Lord's first Sermon in Naz- 
areth (St. Luke, iv. 16-21). You have read 
it, and heard it preached, again and again. 

And if you would but read your Bibles, 
instead of flying to " devotional books " for 
the whole of your religion, — if you would but 
study the Epistles, and the Acts of the Apos- 
tles, — you would find that it was this Gospel 
which gave such force to the words and lives 



WEDNESDA Y. 49 

of the early Christians. They never doubted 
as to the result of that Sacrifice on Calvary. 
They believed that Christ's work was " fin- 
ished." And so, they went everywhere in the 
enjoyment of the " blessedness " described by 
David : knowing that their iniquity was for- 
given (Ps. xxxii. 1, 2 ; Rom. iv. 6-8) ; peace- 
ful and happy, because sure of their accept- 
ance in Christ (Eph. i. 6). 

They did not talk, as people do now, of 
doing their best, and hoping that Jesus would 
make up for their deficiencies ! They spoke 
as men who knew that they were " complete 
in Him " (Col. ii. 10). They lost their own 
individuality ; they lost themselves in Christ. 
They felt that they were covered with the 
robe of His Righteousness (Isa. lxi. 10; Phil, 
iii. 9). And being thus " complete in Him," 
they gave up their lives to love and serve 
Him, and to show their love to Him by sacri- 
ficing all for His sake. 

If asked how they could " presume " to 
claim this peace, with all the sin that they had 
found out in themselves, they would have 



50 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LEXT. 

answered : " God's thoughts are higher than 
my thoughts : and God tells me that my sin 
has been laid on His Sox Jesus Christ. I 
know not what may become of the heathen, 
for God has not told me ; but what He has 
told me, about myself, I believe : that I have 
been 'joined unto the Lord;' united to 
Christ : that my miserable self is made one 
with His glorious Humanity (Gal. iii. 26-29 J 
Rom. vi. 3-1 1 ; I. Cor. vi. 17). I dare not 
say that what God declares, He does not 
mean. I may doubt the word of man ; I may 
doubt even the mother who bare me : but I 
cannot doubt my God ! " 

And so, going back to Calvary and to the 
Word of God, as the foundation of their 
peace, they realized in their own lives the 
wondrous truths taught in our Lord's dis- 
course with Nicodemus (St. John, iii.). They 
began — as He began — with Baptism ; and 
then they received the teaching which follows ; 
they laid hold on Eternal Life. They had re- 
ceived a Message from God ; they believed in 
the Lord Jesus Christ. 



WEDNESDAY. 51 

And when the Devil harassed them, as he 
harasses you and me, and they often failed, in 
spite of all effort, they fell back on the Word 
of God, and were thus kept in peace : — a 
peace built — not on their own feelings, or on 
their own conscious improvement, but on the 
Word of the Living God (Isa. xxvi. 3). 

This was the uniform teaching of the Apos- 
tles : — the uniform belief of the early Church. 
Study the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epis- 
tles, throughout ; especially the following pas- 
sages : Acts, ii. 38; v. 31 ; x. 43 ; xiii. 38, 39 ; 
xx. 24 ; Rom. iii.-viii. ; II. Cor. v. 19-21 ; Gal. 
iii. 13; Eph. i. 7; ii. 14; Phil. iii. 8, 9; Col. 
i. 20; I. Thess. i. 5 ; I. Tim. i. 11-15 ; ii. 5; 
Titus, iii. 7 ; Heb. viii.-x. 

Is it not one Message throughout ? " It is 
finished." "Through this Man is preached 
unto you the Forgiveness of sins." 

Is not the experience described, the same 
in every case ? They took God at His Word ; 
they rejoiced in His Salvation ; they trusted 
their souls to Him ; and then, they went forth 



52 SOME WEEK-DAYS IX LLXT. 

as heralds, to spread the glad tidings — the 
age of their King : " To you — to you — 
is the Word of this Salvation sent." 

The Prayer Book takes it for granted that 
you have already realized all this. Half the 
obloquy heaped upon the Prayer Book arises 
from not understanding that it is meant for 
believing people. It pre-supposes that the pre- 
liminary work is done — that foundation-truths 
are learnt; — that those who come to Church 
have already taken God at His Word, and 
believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, so as to 
serve Him with "a quiet mind." 

My object, in this Lecture, is to help those 
who have not yet reached this point : — those 
whose consciences by sin are accused, but 
who know nothing, as yet, of u Pardon and 
Peace." Our Lenten work will be a failure, 
if it comes short of this. I want, by the aid 
of the Holy Spirit, to help you out into the 
light — to enable you to realize your privileges 
as children of God. 

I ask, then : Why not take God at His 



WEDNESDAY. 53 

Word ? You would believe me : you would 
not think that I would intentionally deceive 
you. Why not then — much more — believe 
God Himself? 

But, you say, you are not sure if what I 
am teaching you really is the Word of God 
Himself. 

Surely, it would be worth while to take 
down your Bibles, and find out for yourselves ! 
(St. John, v. 39; Acts, xvii. 11, 12). Study 
the passages already quoted, in the Acts and 
the Epistles. 

If it is not God's Word that I am teaching 
you, then reject it ; do not receive it on my 
authority. 

But if you find that it is God's Word, — 
then, why not receive it ? 

Do you say, it is a " dangerous " doctrine : 
— that it leads to careless living ? It is true 
that in every age some have thus abused the 
free Grace of God. It was so in the days of 
St. Paul. (" Shall we continue in sin, that 
Grace may abound ? " Rom. vi. 1.) And 
yet, the Apostle did not retract his teaching. 



54 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

He did not venture to alter God's Message. 
Instead of this, he answered the objection by 
reminding them that they had been " made 
free from sin," in order that they might "be- 
come servants to God ; " that they had been 
joined to Christ in Baptism, in order that 
they might " bring forth fruit unto God " 
(Rom. vi. 2, 3, 4, 6, 11-22 ; vii. 4). 

Do you say it is " presumptuous," to feel 
sure of God's Forgiveness ? Surely, there is 
no presumption in believing what God Him- 
self has said. Surely, it is more presump- 
tuous, to reject it. 

" How is it that ye have no faith ? " What 
is the reason that you still refuse to believe ? 

Is it Pride, do you think? Are you trying 
to do something first, so as to earn God's 
Love ? Put away that Pride. " Humble your- 
self in the sight of the Lord, and He shall 
lift you up " (James, iv. 10). Say to God : " I 
have sinned : I can never make up for the 
Past. But I thank Thee that in Thy Holy 
Word it is written that the Blood of Jesus 
Christ cleanseth us from all sin; — that He 



WEDNESDAY. 55 

has shed His Blood for me : and humbly, as a 
little child, I take Thee at Thy Word." 

But perhaps there is another reason why 
you cannot receive this Message of Peace. 
There is something wrong ; — there is some 
one thing that you are determined to keep, 
and that you know Jesus Christ would ask 
you to give up. Your heart is closed — wil- 
fully closed — against the Message of God's 
Love. But " What shall it profit a man, if he 
shall gain the whole world, and lose his own 
soul ? " (St. Mark, viii. 36.) If iniquity be 
thus in thine hand, put it away. If thine eye 
cause thee to offend, pluck it out (St. Mark, 
ix. 47). 

And now, to bring this matter definitely to 
a point: do not let this Lent pass by, and 
leave you still in bondage ; afraid of the Fu- 
ture — uncertain as to your present state in 
God's sight — doubting what would become of 
you, if you were to die to-night. 

Of course, there will be a struggle, if you 
try to get free. Satan will do his utmost to 



56 SOME WEEK-DAYS IN LENT. 

keep you back. He will suggest to you that 
it is more humble to wait quietly till God 
vouchsafe to grant this blessing, instead of 
laying hold at once of the Eternal Life which 
God has already given, in Jesus Christ. Or 
he will fill your mind with wandering thoughts, 
and then tell you that you are mocking God 
by such unreal prayers. Or he will aggravate 
your temptations : he will perhaps succeed in 
making you fall more than usual, and then he 
will taunt you with your defeats, and say : 
" This Gospel is not for you ! " He will try to 
blunt the edge of all that has just been taught 
you, by the idle gossip of the Church Porch. 
He may even use a Christian friend — as he 
used St. Peter (St. Matt. xvi. 22, 23), to tempt 
you. Your foes may be those of your own 
household. Dark hours may lie before 
you. 

Be on your guard, then. " Resist the Devil, 
and he will flee from you." Use the sword of 
the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Take 
your stand upon what God has said. How- 
ever little you feel, thank God for the fact 



WEDNESDAY. 57 

which He has revealed. Praise God because 
of His Word (Ps. lvi. 4). 

Do not wait for improvement in yourselves 
— for more satisfactory prayers — for more 
faith, or a deeper penitence. The poor suf- 
ferers in the Gospel could not pray. They 
only cried for mercy, in short and simple pe- 
titions. " Jesus, Master, have mercy ! Lord, 
help me ! Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst 
make me clean." And yet, none were sent 
empty away. 

God is as ready to receive you to-day, as 
He would be after years of waiting. If you 
were to delay for twenty years, you would still 
be unable to bring anything in your hand 
which could really commend you to the High 
and Holy God. 

Faith does not make God love you. The 
trees and the flowers were not created, when 
the miracle of healing was wrought on Barti- 
maeus. His eyes were opened; that was all. 
He only saw what had been there all the 
time. 

God has loved you all your life. Eighteen 



58 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

hundred years ago, the Blood of Jesus was 
shed for you. The free Forgiveness has been 
waiting for you these many years. The Holy 
Spirit has been yearning to apply it to your 
soul. 

I have urged you in former Lectures to 
look into your own hearts. I now ask you to 
look entirely away from self, and to believe in 
the Lord Jesus Christ. 

As the Israelites thanked God for the mes- 
sage of mercy, and steadily fixed their eyes 
upon the brazen serpent, till the life-current 
flowed through their veins, and they felt that 
they were healed, — so, I pray you, look up at 
your Saviour. Think of Him. Speak to 
Him. Praise Him for His Love — for His 
complete Salvation — for His once-offered Sac- 
rifice. 

Say to Him : " O Lord, I have sinned. I 
cannot undo the Past ; but Thy Blood cleanses 
from all sin. Thou hast died for sinners. I 
am a sinner. Thou hast died for me. — O 
Lord, I cannot feel Thy Love : I cannot feel 
that my sins are washed away in Thy Blood ; 



WEDNESDAY. 59 

but I praise Thee for Thy Word. I thank 
Thee for having told me that Thou hast died 
for me. Help me to feel it ! Open my eyes, 
O Lord, and show me Thy Love. Lord, 
that I may receive my sight ! " 

Just as I am, — without one plea 
But that Thy Blood was shed for me, 
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee, 
O Lamb of God, I come. 

Grant, we beseech Thee, merciful Lord, 
to Thy faithful people Pardon and Peace, 
that they may be cleansed from all their 
sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



SELF-SEARCHING. 

Our lot, my Brethren, has been cast in days 
when the position of the Church affords 
abundant reason for anxiety, and for thank- 
fulness. 

(i.) For Anxiety. Every day brings more 
clearly before the minds of thoughtful Church- 
men the intense difficulties by which we are 
surrounded. All who care for their Church 
ought to pray for her, day by day, that God 
will give her the wisdom, courage, and pa- 
tience which she needs : — that she may be 
guided aright by the Holy Ghost ; that she 
may be willing to sacrifice anything, rather 
than part with one iota of God's Eternal 
Truth ; and yet, may not, by unadvised haste, 
damage any part of the work which He has 
willed that she should accomplish. 



THURSDAY. 61 

(2.) Yet there is also cause for Thankfulness. 

Some of you may remember the days when 
the Church of England was dead and care- 
less. From that death-sleep, in God's mercy, 
she was aroused. Then, from the dark cham- 
ber in which her truths had lain stored like 
useless lumber, God brought out, first of all, 
this grand Foundation-Doctrine — that Jesus 
Christ has purchased a full and free and im- 
mediate Forgiveness for all who will receive 
it. After that, He brought to light what are 
called " Church Truths." The duty and bles- 
sedness of united Prayer in God's House ; the 
value of the two Sacraments; the need of 
Reverence ; the meaning of " Worship ; " the 
necessity of Self-Examination — all that is 
involved in carrying out the system of the 
Prayer Book. 

Of course, as each Truth was thus disin- 
terred, earnest Churchmen felt doubtful how 
far all could be harmonized. Those who had 
learnt one side of God's Teaching too often 
thought it necessary to ignore the other side 
which the same God had revealed. 



62 SOME WEEK-DAYS IN L EXT. 

And yet, if we could but set prejudice 
aside, and abstain from that conflict about 
mere words and technicalities which is the 
secret of half our controversies in the present 
day, we should see how all these truths are 
connected. 

God, the holy God, wills that we should be 
holy. Therefore — i. e. % in order that we may 
be made free from sin, and live as His obedi- 
ent children,— He says to every one who is 
conscio.is of his guilt : " Come at once to Me, 
your Father ; acknowledge your sin ; believe 
in the Saviour who died for you. ' I have 
blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgres- 
sions, and, as a cloud, thy sins ; return unto 
Me, for I have redeemed thee ' (Isa. xliv. 22). 
First, be freed from the burden of guilt ; and 
then, arise, repent deeply for the past, and 
walk in newness of life." 

Here, the good old Churchman is alarmed. 

"Is it not a dangerous doctrine," he suggests, 

that we may be quite sure we are forgiven ? 

Surely, it is safer to go on humbly and 

anxiously doing our best, and hoping that we 



THURSDA Y. 63 

may, for Christ's sake, be at last accept- 
ed?" 

Yes, if you left this doctrine to stand alone, 
it would indeed be dangerous ; you might 
then give up all watchfulness and care about 
the concerns of your soul ! 

But look at the other side. Why is it that 
God has thus set our heart at liberty? In 
order that we may run the way of His com- 
mandments. Why is it that God has offered 
iis a free Pardon at the outset ? In order that 
we may be able to advance ; — that we may 
grow in grace (II. Pet. i. 5-1 1 ; iii. 18) : — that 
we may become " conformed to the Image of 
His Son ; " — that the Life of Jesus may by 
degrees be developed in us, till the regenerate 
soul is fitted for the Kingdom of Glory (Rom. 
viii. 1-4, 28, 29). 

Surely, this is the doctrine of our Church. 
Read the Collect for the Twenty-first Sunday 
after Trinity. What is the meaning of " a 
quiet mind ? " A mind that is at rest, — that 
knows the blessing of " Peace," because it has 
consciously received " Pardon." The words 



64 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

describe the blessedness of one who knows 
that he is accepted in the Beloved : — of one 
who believes that God received him for His 
own at Baptism, and buried his sins in the 
grave of Christ, and has now enabled him to 
receive the Message of His Love, and to cry, 
Abba, Father. 

Others, again, who gladly accept this Fact 
of the Gospel, shrink from that side of God's 
Truth which has been set forth in the previous 
Lectures. When you go to such as these, 
and speak to them of the need of Self-Exam- 
ination, they cry out : " You are bringing us 
into bondage ! " 

Is it likely to bring you into " bondage," to 
teach you that we must ever be striving 
against that evil within us which is ever striv- 
ing for the mastery over us ? (Rom. vii. 2 1-23 ; 
vi. 14, 15.) 

Try to lay hold of this simple thought. 
God has brought us into the world, chosen us 
in Christ, given to us the Holy Spirit, be- 
stowed on us " Pardon and Peace," — all, for 



THURSDA Y. 65 

this express purpose : " that we should be 
holy and without blame before Him " (Eph. 

1.4). 

Look again at that Collect for the Twenty- 
first Sunday after Trinity. Why is it that we 
are to seek this Pardon and Peace ? " That 
we may be cleansed from all our sins, and 
serve Thee with a quiet mind." The soul, 
when thus cleansed, is not to go to sleep, or 
continue in sin, but to give itself up to God's 
service. Being delivered out of the hand of 
our enemies, we are to " serve Him without 
fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, 
all the days of our life." We are to watch, as 
well as pray ; to strive against sin ; to fight 
earnestly, day by day, in the great battle 
against the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. 
We are to " lay aside every weight, and the 
sin which doth so easily beset us, and run 
with patience the race that is set before us " 
(Heb. vi. n, 12 ; xii. 1, 2). 

And therefore, we must examine ourselves ; 
we must learn to know our besetting sins, and 
to detect " every weight " which we have to 

5 



66 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

lay aside. We must look into our own hearts 
and lives, from day to day, from year to year ; 
and especially at this season of Lent. It is 
set apart for this very purpose, — that we may 
find out how far our besetting sins have been 
crushed, and lacking graces gained; — how far 
we have obtained a fresh insight into the Char- 
acter of our Lord : how far the Life of Jesus 
has been reproduced in us — " made manifest 
in our mortal flesh" (II. Cor. iv. n). We 
must try to learn — not one Truth only, how- 
ever important, but — the balance of Truth. 
We must lay aside all prejudice, and open our 
hearts to receive — not merely the doctrines 
that we prefer, but "the whole counsel of 
God." 

Let me now try to help some of you who 
are endeavoring to examine yourselves, but 
are hindered by certain practical difficulties. 

I. Some are disheartened because they feel 
no Sorrow for sin. " I have found out many 
sins," they say, "but I do not feel really sorry. 
I have not a broken and contrite heart. I do 



THURSDA Y. 67 

not weep in secret for my sins, like the people 
of whom I read in books." 

Be definite. Do not confuse facts and feel- 
ings. Your work, at present, is simply this : 
to honor God by trying to find out the facts 
about yourself. And this, remember, is your 
only object, as yet. You are seeking, by Self- 
Examination, to obtain an accurate knowledge 
of yourselves as you really are in God's sight ; 
— to enter, as it were, into His Presence, and 
study that Book, wherein are written all the 
thoughts, words, and deeds, of our whole 
lives. 

It is important to see this clearly — that at 
present we are not concerned with feelings ; 
only with facts. Persevere. Never mind 
how dry it may all seem. A great deal of our 
best work in Lent is very dry and distasteful. 
Never mind if the whole of Lent seem wasted 
over it. Persevere, till you have before you a 
true and accurate account of your life. Con- 
trition will follow, by God's help. We shall 
consider this subject presently, and see what 
means God has provided for obtaining this 



68 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

"godly sorrow." But meanwhile, keep stead- 
ily to the point set before you. Be content 
with one thing at a time. 

II. Others are discouraged because they 
see in themselves, as yet, no Amendment of 
life. They complain that they fall into the 
same old sins, again and again ; that they are 
as weak as ever, if exposed to old temptations. 

The answer just given applies to you also. 
Be definite. One thing at a time. Of course, 
this is the real end in view — to amend our 
lives, according to God's Holy Word. But 
this cannot be, till we have found out what 
needs to be amended. The first step toward 
doing right, is to find out what we have done 
wrong. 

III. Some are inclined to despair because, 
as yet, they find no Happiness. 

I am speaking now to those who have never 
known the comfort of feeling that their sins 
are forgiven, and that they are accepted in the 
Beloved. 

Till now, although God long ago brought 



THURSDA Y. 69 

you into His Kingdom, — at your Baptism. — 
you have never realized your position and 
your responsibilities. You have been living 
a quiet, indifferent sort of life ; merely living 
" like other people ; " neither cold, nor hot : 
not utterly careless, perhaps; — though some 
of you, I fear, have been careless — very care- 
less ! — living entirely for self and the world. 

But now, you are beginning to examine 
yourself, for the first time in your life, in 
any real sense ; and you feel unhappy. You 
grow more and more unhappy. And so, you 
are afraid that there must be something wrong 
about your Self-Examination ; that it is doing 
you no good. You are out of heart, because 
you find no comfort, in that quiet time alone 
with God. 

And yet, is not your unhappiness an answer 
to prayer : — not to your own prayers only, but 
to those of the whole Church ? Have we not 
been asking God, day by day, since Lent 
began, to " create and make in us new and 
contrite hearts ; " — that we may so confess 
our sins, and acknowledge our wretchedness, 



70 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

as to obtain Forgiveness ? Is it not the chief 
thing that we have been beseeching Him to 
do for us — to deliver us from " all blindness 
of heart," and to give us the help of the 
Holy Ghost? 

What did our Lord say was to be the first 
work of the Holy Ghost? To "convince 
the world of sin " (St. John, xvi. 8). Thank 
God, His work in you has begun ! The 
plough has gone down deep into your heart, 
and the weeds are disclosed. " In the begin- 
ning, God said, Let there be light, and 
there was light." So has it been, with you. 
That light which was sent into the heart of 
Saul of Tarsus on the way to Damascus, 
making him see his sin, and cry out : " Lord, 
what wilt Thou have me do ? " — that light is 
now breaking in upon your soul. You are 
beginning to see yourself as God sees you. 

Instead, therefore, of being disheartened, 
you ought to be thanking God for this new 
proof of His favor and gracious goodness 
toward you. Whatever your past life may 
have been, — whether one of open sin, or that 



THURSDAY. 71 

quiet, colorless existence of which I have 
spoken, you have cause to thank God that 
your false peace is now disturbed. God leads 
through darkness to light — through death, to 
life ; and He is fulfilling in you those words 
of Jesus : " Except a corn of wheat fall into 
the ground and die, it abideth alone ; but if it 
die, it bringeth forth much fruit " (St. John, 
xii. 24). 

You asked God to show you your sins ; and 
He has done that which you asked Him to do. 
Thank Him, and take courage. Do not shrink 
from more light. Honor the Hqly Ghost. 
Trust Him. Open your heart to receive His 
further teaching. Be brave ! Face the truth. 
Do not be surprised if you find out that you are 
not what you expected, or what your friends 
said that you were. Do not lose heart, if you 
find that you are more wicked than you im- 
agined. 

Go on with your Self-Examination calmly 
and quietly ; trusting that " He which hath 
begun a good work in you will perform it 
until the Day of Jesus Christ " (Phil. i. 6). 



72 SOME WEEK-DAYS IX LEXT. 

IV. Some are disturbed by another kind 
of difficulty. Long ago, they found the 
Saviour. And now they say : " What you 
are teaching interferes with my Peace." 

No, it does not interfere with your Peace, 
unless you confuse two different things: our 
acceptance in Christ, and our efforts to live 
for Christ. 

The idea of Holy Scripture is so perfect ! 
So different from the narrow, one-sided view 
of man ! It tells us, indeed, that God loves 
us ; that He offers us a finished Salvation ; 
and that He which hath begun a good work 
in us will perform it until the Day of Jesus 
Christ (Phil. i. 6). But it also tells us that 
we must watch and pray ; that we must work 
out our own Salvation with fear and trembling 
(Phil. ii. 12); that we must abide in Christ 
(St. John, xv. 4-6, 9, 10). 

We must use all the helps that God gives 
us, to strengthen our weak natures. If we 
dwell exclusively on one side of truth and 
duty, we shall go wrong. 

If we grasp this thought only, that God is 



THURSDAY. 73 

able to keep that which we have committed 
to Him, it will be likely to develop into that 
repulsive form of Christianity which seems to 
consist in shouting out, " We are saved, what- 
ever may become of others ! " — that noisy sort 
of religion which is so contrary to what God 
loves, — so opposed to the meek and quiet 
spirit which is, in the sight of God, of great 
price (I. Pet. iii. 4). 

And, on the other hand, if we dwell only on 
the truth that we must work out our own Sal- 
vation with fear and trembling, there is danger 
lest our religion degenerate into morbid super- 
stition : — lest we be always tossed to and fro, 
and carried about with every fresh wind of 
doctrine : — lest we become entirely absorbed 
with the concerns of our own souls ; afraid of 
being "a castaway; " powerless to comfort or 
influence others. 

Church Teaching is so different from all 
this! It points out, in turn, each side of 
God's Truth. 

" Thank God," it says, "for His free Salva- 
tion. Thank Him for any grace which, by 



74 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

His Mercy, you have received. Do not let 
Satan persuade you that your religion has 
been unreal, because you have not hitherto 
practised Self-Examination. Yet, on the 
other hand, do not rest satisfied with the 
point to which you have already attained. 
Forgetting those things which are behind, 
and reaching forth unto those things which 
are before, begin the new duty which now 
lies before you : " 



jFrtoag. 

WHY? 

I propose to-day to answer more fully a 
question at which it was only possible to 
glance, in the preceding Lecture : Why is 
Self-Examination necessary, for real 
Believers ? 

The teaching given during this Lent has 
aroused opposition in the minds of many 
earnest Christians. 

"You tell us," they say, "that (if we have 
never done so before) we ought to look back 
on the whole of our past lives, to humble our- 
selves definitely before God, and confess to 
Him all our sins, so far as we can remember 
them, from childhood onward ! You tell us, 
further, that once in every year we ought in 
the same way to review the past year. We 
cannot listen to such teaching. Thank God, 



76 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

we found Peace long ago, through Jesus 
Christ. All our sins have been cast into the 
depths of the sea. What need, therefore, can 
we have, of this Self-Examination ? For those 
who have never felt their sin, and sought For- 
giveness, it may be necessary : but as for us, 
we are free, by God's Mercy; and no man 
shall bring us again into bondage." 

Brethren ! Try to lay aside all prejudice, 
and honestly open your hearts to the promised 
teaching of God's own Spirit, while we look 
into this matter in the light of His Holy 
Word. Say to God: "That which I see 
not, teach Thou me! " (Job, xxxiv. 32.) 

"Why," you ask, "Is Self-Examination 

NECESSARY, FOR REAL BELIEVERS?" 

I answer : 

I. It is necessary to examine ourselves, 
lest we should be lost. 

I know that many will say : " How can we 
be lost ? Salvation is freely offered. We 
have accepted that great Salvation ; we can 
never fall away." 

Are you not confusing two different things : 



FRIDAY. 77 

— a present Salvation, and final Salvation ? 
Our Lord has said : " He that heareth My 
Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, 
hath everlasting Life " (St. John, v. 24). But 
the same Lord has said : " He that endureth 
to the end shall be saved" (St. Matt. x. 22). 
The lifeboat may have placed you in a state 
of salvation ; yet your common sense tells 
you, that if you go to sleep and fall over- 
board, you will have been saved in vain 
from the sinking ship. 

Few errors are more dangerous than this 
idea — that Believers can never fall- a wa v. It 
may do no harm, practically, to some earnest 
souls, who love their Lord, and would rather 
do anything than grieve Him : but when it 
gains a hearing among that larger class of 
people who are bargaining for Salvation, we 
tremble for them. The habitual drunkard or 
profligate — the bitter and the uncharitable pro- 
fessor — the covetous and the world-loving — 
such as these will dare to tell you that they 
have "seen their title clear," and feel certain 
that they can never be lost! An ignorant 



78 SOME WEEK-DAYS IN LENT. 

young man, just pardoned by God's mercy, 
feels bound to publish everywhere — long be- 
fore he has had time for a deep or lasting re- 
pentance, that he is — not only safe now, but — 
safe for all Eternity ! 

I speak that which I know ; I bear witness 
to that which I have heard ; and I beseech 
all those who love our Lord, and care for 
His honor, to re-consider their present con- 
victions, calmly and honestly. 

Take your Bible, and read His own words 
in St. John, xv. " Every branch in Me that 
beareth not fruit, He taketh away. ... If 
a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth, as a 
branch, and is withered ; and men gather them, 
and cast them into the fire, and they are 
burned." Observe: the branch was in the 
Vine, at first; but it did not abide in the 
Vine, and therefore it ceased to bear fruit, 
and was taken away. May we lay to heart 
the solemn warning! 

" But has not our Lord said : ' They shall 
never perish, neither shall any man pluck 
them out of My Hand ? ' " (St. John, x. 28, 29). 



FRIDAY. 79 

Yes ; but the context — here, as elsewhere — 
proves that this Promise is conditional : — that 
it is made to those only who " abide " in 
Christ — who hear His Voice, and follow 
Him. It is true that the Enemy cannot 
pluck us out of the Father's Hand. God 
is stronger than Satan. But it is equally 
true, that we can hurl ourselves out of His 
Hand, if we choose. God never destroys 
our Free-Will (Ezek. xviii. 24-27 ; Heb. iii. 
6, 14; vi. 11, 12; Col. i. 21-23; I- Thess. iii. 
5 ; I. John, ii. 24, 28; Rev. ii. 10; iii. 11). 

Remember Judas ! He knew the place 
where Jesus prayed, and doubtless he oft- 
times resorted thither with the other dis- 
ciples. No one suspected that he was the 
traitor, though Jesus had said : " Have I 
not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a 
devil ; " and again, still more plainly : " One 
of you shall betray Me" (St. John, vi. 70; 
xiii. 21-30). Even when he had "gone out" 
to betray his Lord, they thought that he had 
gone to do some fresh act of service for 
Christ or for His Poor ! 



8o SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LEXT. 

Remember Demas ! He was the com- 
panion — the " fellow-laborer " — of St. Paul ; — 
loved and trusted by the Apostle. Yet, after 
awhile, we read : " Demas hath forsaken me, 
having loved this present world ! " (Phi- 
lemon, verse 24; I. Tim. iv. 10.) If such a 
one could fall away, can you presume to say : 
" I shall never be moved ; there shall no harm 
happen unto me ? " 

" But," you say, " these men never were 
savingly united to Christ." 

At any rate, they so appeared to their 
fellow-Christians; and probably to them- 
selves. What special revelation have you 
received — what hidden mark do you know 
to be stamped on your own soul, which you 
can prove to have been lacking in their case ? 
" Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed 
lest he fall" (I. Cor. x. 12). 

Are we nearer to God than were "the 
Angels which kept not their first estate ? " 
Have we no need of the warning based 
upon their fall ? (St. Jude, verse 6.) 

Are we more " savingly united " to the 



FRIDAY. 8 1 

Lord than was St. Paul? Yet even he — 
though he had been so wonderfully con- 
verted, and so honored by visions and reve- 
lations, that he could not utter the glory 
which he had seen, — even he — felt obliged 
to "keep under" his body, etc., lest, after 
preaching to others, he should himself be 
a castaway (I. Cor. ix. 27). 

One more warning from Holy Scripture. 
" I would put you in remembrance, though 
ye once knew this, how that the Lord, 
having saved the people out of the land of 
Egypt, afterward destroyed them that be- 
lieved not " (St. Jude, verse 5). Study, 
verse by verse, the solemn teaching of St. 
Paul on this subject, in I. Cor. x. 1-4; also 
Heb. iii. and iv. 

Read also I. Pet. v. 8; II. Pet.i. 10, n ; ii. 
20, 21; iii. 17; Heb. vi. 1-8; x. 26-39; x "- 
12-29. Are not all these passages inspired 
sermons on the text which I am now striving 
to press home on your hearts : " Examine 
yourselves ;" — lest ye fall away, and be finally 
lost ? 



82 SOME WEEK-DA YS IX LE.YT. 

II. Even if we were certain of being 
finally saved, Self-Examination would be 
needed, in order to prevent Backslide 

Of all the sad experiences of the Minister 
of Christ, none is so sad as to watch this 
declension, in .those who once gave promise 
of a noble Christian life. 

They themselves may be unconscious of 
the change. They are, perhaps, even more 
earnest than at first, in outward devotion and 
in all good works ; more zealous than ever, in 
supporting their own religious views; more 
flattered than ever, by their friends. Meas- 
uring themselves by themselves, they are 
contented. Yet, all the time, "little f: 
are spoiling their grapes; little sins have 
sprung up in their hearts, and gained the 
dominion over them: — pride, vanity, indo- 
lence, bitterness, greediness, self-indulgence, 
self-will, contempt of others : — the very self- 
righte ^rhich they profess to abhor! 

"Strangers have devoured his strength, and 
he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here 
and there upon him," — signs that his early 



FRIDA Y. 83 

vigor is passing away — "yet he knoweth 
not " (Hosea, vii. 9). 

If, then, we wish to be saved from this 
miserable condition, we must humbly seek, 
year by year, to know our true state before 
God ; we must examine ourselves, lest the life 
of Christ, the Living Vine, should be hin- 
dered from flowing into the inmost parts of 
our being ; lest, while using religious phrases, 
we should be ceasing really to live for God. 

Remember the sad and tender pleading of 
our Lord with His Church at Ephesus : " I 
know thy works ; . . . thou hast borne, and 
hast patience, and for My Name's sake hast 
labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless, 
I have somewhat against thee, because thou 
hast left thy first love. Remember therefore 
from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and 
do the first works " (Rev. ii. 2-5). Surely, you 
that have known the Love of Jesus will not 
reply — as so many have replied to His gentle 
appeal : " Master, we cannot repent ; for the 
beginning of repentance is Self-Examination, 
and the party to which we belong has decided 



84 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

that Self-Examination is a sign of spiritual 
bondagr ! " 

III. Self-Examination is necessary to Pro- 
gress. 

It is not enough, merely to hold our own 
against the Enemy. We must go forward, and 
conquer (I. Tim. vi. n, 12 ; Rev. iii. 21 ; Heb- 
v. 11, to vi. 3; Phil. iii. 12-14). 

But how can we conquer, unless we have 
learnt to know the sins by which we are 
specially beset ? 

It is not enough, that the Foundation be 
rightly laid. On that Foundation, we must 
build the gold and the silver and the precious 
stones (I. Cor. iii. 11-13). We must grow in 
grace, and in the knowledge and love of God. 

But how can we grow in grace, unless, by 
self scrutiny, we have been taught the special 
help of the Holy Ghost for which we have 
need to pray ? We have not, because we ask 
not. We ask, and receive not, because we ask 
amiss. 

If we shrink from the rough work of honest 



FRIDA Y. 85 

self-searching, healthy progress is almost im- 
possible. Either we fall into a listless, dis- 
heartened state, in which we imagine that we 
are backsliding, when, in God's sight, we have 
really advanced ; or we think that all is well 
with us, because we have not sunk below the 
standard of the weak Christians by whom we 
are surrounded ! 

IV. Self -Examination fosters Humility. 

" Thus saith the High and Lofty One that 
inhabiteth Eternity, Whose Name is Holy : 
I dwell in the High and Holy Place; with 
him also that is of a contrite and humble 
spirit " (Isa. lvii. 15). Until we are thus 
emptied of self, we cannot be filled with all 
the fulness of God. And yet, how rare is 
true humility ! We confess to God that we 
are " miserable sinners ; " yet how startled 
and indignant we feel, when the keen eye of 
a neighbor detects but a fragment of the sin- 
fulness which we have thus acknowledged ! 

False humility is common enough. Humble 
words cost little. They are often a mere ex- 



86 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

cuse for indolence, or a cloak for vanity. 
People will readily tell you how " wicked " 
they are. But if only you agree with them ! — 
if only you say: "Yes, it is quite true: in 
fact, I have often been grieved to observe 
it ! " — You will soon see, by the change in 
their very countenance, what a shallow humil- 
ity it is, which has been thus paraded before 
the world. 

Real humility does not consist in talking to 
others about our sinfulness, but in acting on 
that knowledge of it which we have gained 
by Self-Examination. I do not say that hu- 
mility cannot otherwise be attained, for God 
will not be limited in His way of working; 
but it seldom is attained, without Self-Exami- 
nation. 

When thus we have, in some measure, 
learnt the truth about ourselves, — then, if all 
men speak well of us, and our silly, weak 
nature is nattered by their praise, we turn to 
that little book wherein we have written the 
true story of our life, in plain black and white 
that cannot be mistaken. We think of those 



FRIDAY. 87 

humbling facts : we remind ourselves that 
they are but a small fraction of the evil which 
the Holy God has seen in us. We kneel 
down. We humble ourselves doubly before 
God for our wretched vanity. We come to 
Him as the poor sinners that we really are, 
saying : " Man looketh at the outward appear- 
ance, but Thou lookest at the heart. O God, 
be merciful to me, the sinner ! " (St. Luke, 
xviii. 10-13.) 

V. Self-Examination teaches us forbear- 
ance with others. 

How hard and intolerant some Christians 
become, as life advances ! Our Lord, while 
He hated and exposed the sin, dealt tenderly 
with the sinner. Yet these — His followers — 
how severely do they condemn the weak, the 
wavering, the fallen ! " He must be a hypo- 
crite; he has told a lie." Or — " She cannot 
be a real Christian ; she lost her temper." Or 
— " His case is hopeless ; he has fallen back 
into his old temptations." 

When, however, by Self-Examination, we 



83 SO IN LENT. 

have learnt to know ourselves, — then, if the 
hard word rises to bur lips, or we have lost 
hope and patience in dealing with another, we 
look into our own hearts, and remember how- 
little we have conquered our own besetting 
sin ; how often, when we thought that it was 
crushed for ever, it has risen up and overcome 
us. So we kneel down, and ask God to for- 
give us that hard word, or that hard thought ; 
and we say to ourselves : " How can I afford 
to be hard on others, when I myself fall so 
often, and yet believe myself to be real and 
earnest ? God raised up St. Peter again, after 
his fall; God has raised up me, again and 
again; and He can help these souls also." 
Or — " I was once as careless as my children 
now are, and yet God had mercy on me." 
So we learn — not, indeed, to tolerate sin, but 
— to deal gently with the sinner : — to be kind 
one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one 
another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath 
forgiven us (St. Matt, xviii. 33; Eph. iv. 1, 2, 
31, 32 ; Col. iii. 12, 13 ; Gal. vi. 1-3). 



FRIDA Y. 89 

VI. Self-Examination enables us to help 
others. 

We can never really help others, in their 
spiritual difficulties, until — in some way or 
other — we have analyzed our own hearts. 
We may have laid hold of a little fragment of 
Truth — either "Gospel Truth," or Church 
Truth," — and repeat it again and again ; and 
God may bless the often ill-chosen remedy, 
for His compassions fail not. 

But more than this is needed, if we are to 
be true "laborers together with God." Sooner 
or later, all faithful soldiers and servants of 
Christ will find others coming to them for 
guidance and sympathy in the spiritual con- 
flict. And this they cannot give, unless they 
know by experience the details of the strug- 
gle, and the manifold devices of the great 
Enemy. We cannot teach our brother how 
to battle against evil, until, as the result of 
careful self-searching, we have learnt to take 
one after another of our besetting sins, and to 
fight against it in the power of the Holy 
Ghost. 



90 SOME WEEK-DAYS IN LENT. 

Is it not worth any trouble, thus to become 
fitted to help others ? Is it not worth all the 
defeats, the disappointments, the humbling 
discipline I 

"Remember the words of the Lord Ji 
how He said : " It is more blessed to give, 
than to receive " (Acts, xx. 35). " Bear ye 
one another's burdens, and so fulfil the Law 
of Christ " (Gal. vi. 2). 

VII. Lastly (and this is the highest motive 
of all), by Self-Examination we glorify God. 

Give glory to God ! This is the key-note 
of the whole Bible. Every true child of God 
seeks to glorify Him. 

If angels in Heaven bow down before Him, 
with veiled faces, the saint on earth may well 
cry : " Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean 
lips." 

I believe, that even more honoring to God 
than our times of conscious joy, are those 
seasons when the soul is bowed low in his 
Presence, only able to lie in the dust, and 
say : " Holy, Holy, Holy ! " — those hours 



FRIDAY. 91 

of self-abasement in which, not as bond- 
slaves, but as reconciled children, we shrink 
with a holy fear from leaving one sin unac- 
knowledged, and spare ourselves no pain in 
counting up the debt which He has paid, 
once and for ever, by His precious Blood- 
shedding. 

By that weary Self-Examination, we glorify 
God, before the holy Angels. We manifest to 
principalities and powers the Holiness of 
Him by Whom we have been redeemed. 
Then, He Who died that we might live — our 
all-loving Lord — is glorified in His saints. 
And this, in our best and truest moments, is 
the object of our life : "that God in all things 
may be glorified, through Jesus Christ " (I. 
Pet. iv. 11). 

I speak as to wise men : judge ye what I 
say. Forget all party prejudices and strivings 
about words ; and pray, simply and honestly, 
that you may see what is the Will of God in 
Christ Jesus concerning you. 

For your own sake — lest you suffer loss in 



92 SOME WEEK-DAYS IN LENT. 

the Day of the Lord, or be finally cast away : 
— for the sake of others — that you may learn 
to deal with them more lovingly, and to help 
them more wisely : — for the sake of Him Who 
died for you — that He may see of the travail 
of His Soul and be satisfied, — begin, this 
Lent, the work of systematic Self-Examina- 
tion. 

Confess your sins unto the Lord. Let 
every detail of your past life be unfolded 
before Him, in one act of solemn penitence. 
"Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God 
of Israel, and thus and thus have I done " 
(Josh. vii. 19-21). 

" Give Glory to the Lord God of 
Israel, and make confession unto Him." 



gaturtrag, 

THE BLESSING OF CONTRITION. 

Our object, in these Lent Lectures, has 
been to lead you, by God's help, to that defi- 
niteness in the spiritual life which is so neces- 
sary to peace and to progress. 

In order to attain this definiteness, we 
spent some time, at the beginning of Lent, in 
trying, by Prayer and careful Self-Examina- 
tion, to find out our real condition in the 
sight of God. 

By means of this Self-Examination, we dis- 
covered certain definite sins by which we 
have been overcome in days past, and are 
still, it may be, in some measure, harassed 
and conquered. 

Next, we learnt how clear and definite, as in- 
terpreted by other passages of Holy Scripture, 



94 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

are those words of Jesus Christ: "It is 
finished." We have learnt that it is a fact. 
The debt is really paid ; the barrier is really 
broken down. 

Hence, as we have seen, it is the glorious 
privilege of the Church to proclaim the Mes- 
sage of Mercy : " God Himself has provided 
the Ransom ; God Himself has become our 
Salvation. Come back to the Father who 
loves you. Come back to the Saviour who 
died for you. Come and receive Mercy : that 
so, in the strength of a realized Pardon, you 
may arise to newness of life." 

I have pressed upon you the importance of 
personally receiving this Message of Salva- 
tion. I have besought you not to walk in 
darkness any longer: — not to continue in that 
vague state wherein so many live and die; all 
their lifetime subject to bondage : hoping, 
praying, resolving, breaking their resolutions, 
crushed again because they have thus broken 
them ; too much out of heart to begin again. 
No joy! No peace! No power with other 
souls, because doubtinsr if God has vet done 



SATURDAY. 95 

anything for themselves, so far as the pardon 
of their sin is concerned. 

For the sake of others, as well as for your 
own sake, I have besought you to appropriate 
this great Salvation. 

But we must not stop short, even here, if 
our Repentance is to be deep and lasting. 
There must be Contrition (/. e. y sorrow for 
sin), and Amendment of life. 

The subject of Amendment lies beyond 
the limits of these Lectures. All that we 
now attempt is — Sorrow for Sin : — that 
" Godly Sorrow " which comes after realizing 
God's Forgiveness. 

Do not let Satan dishearten you : do not 
think that your Repentance is not sincere, 
because you have not yet felt the Contrition 
of which I am going to speak. But, on the 
other hand, do not rest content without it. 

That Sorrow for Sin of which the Bible 
speaks, is something quite different from a 
slavish fear of judgment to come. When a 
man believes that he is going to die, — when 



96 SOME WEEK-DA YS IN LENT. 

the doctor tells him that before another sun 
has set, his spirit will have returned to God 
who gave it, he may shudder with fear, at the 
thought of the misery which awaits him. 
Yet there may be nothing of the "broken and 
contrite heart," in that man's experience. 

Again : if he have lost his own self-respect, 
or the respect of the world, or if he have 
brought suffering on himself or his family by 
his own fault, he is sorry for the conseq:- 
of his sin ; he wishes that he had not done it. 
Yet there may be no thought of the God who 
has been offended — of the Saviour who has 
been " trodden under foot ! " 

Real Contrition differs from natural sorrow, 
in that the sin is deplored because God has been 
grieved. " Against Thee, Thee only, have I 
sinned " (Ps. li. 4). 

The outward signs of this Sorrow for Sin 
will vary, according to natural temperament. 
Some people are easily moved to tears. The 
feeling is real, but the excess in its manifesta- 
tion is merely owing to temperament. Others 
there are, who doubt whether they have ever 



SATURDAY. 97 

mourned over their sin, because they have no 
tears at command, and have never passed 
through the experience of which they read in 
books : inability to eat or sleep, etc. This 
may simply result from the fact that they 
have temperaments which are not easily 
moved to demonstrations of sorrow. 

If I rightly interpret your thoughts, many 
of you are feeling thus : " I have found out 
my sins, now ; I see how I have wasted my 
life ; how proud I have been ; how self-indul- 
gent, etc. But — I do not feel very sorry : — 
not as sorry as I should feel, if the Bank 
had failed, or one of my children had died. 
When I think how good God has been to me, 
I feel that I ought to be sorry. But I cannot 
feel sorry. I know nothing of that mourning 
and bitterness of heart which is spoken of 
in Zech. xii. 10, at the thought of having 
4 pierced ' my Saviour. What am I to do ? 
How am I to gain that true Contrition which 
God wishes to see in my heart ? " 

How ? In the same way as we have pointed 
out at each step of this Lenten teaching. By 

7 



98 SOME WEEK-DAYS IN LEXT. 

using the Word of God, in dependence on 
the Spirit of God. 

This sorrow for sin is not 7iatural. Xo 
mere natural force brought to bear on us, or 
on our sins, can produce it. All our struggles 
to feel our sins, by ourselves, will end in de- 
spair. There is only One Who can make us 
mourn with true godly sorrow : He Whose 
office it is to bear witness of Christ — to 
reveal Jesus as He is. It is God the Holy 
Ghost Who must produce this sorrow in us. 

And the way by which He works is — by 
using the Word of God. He has helped us 
already to gain a knowledge of our sins, by 
examining our hearts and lives in the light of 
that Word. He employs the same Word, to 
work in our hearts a true Contrition. He 
helps us to mourn over our sins, by enabling 
us to look at them in the light of His Love, as 
revealed in the Story of the Cross. He 
unfolds to us, out of the Holy Book, the 
wondrous Love of Christ ; and then He says 
to us : " Behold the Lamb of God ! Look on 
Him Whom thou hast pierced ! See the 



SATURDAY. 99 

character of Him against Whom thou hast 
been sinning, all thy life ! There is the Being 
with Whom thou hast to deal ! That Jesus, 
Who loved thee enough to die for thee ! 
That Saviour, Who has been watching thee 
all thy life, to see if His sorrow would at last 
touch thy hard heart ! " 

To this special end, Holy Week is devoted. 

Four times during this week, the Church 
repeats in our ears the Story of the Cross. 
Four times over, with half-closed eyes, and 
listening ears, we try, like little children, in 
the quiet of God's House, to take in that 
wondrous history which, though known from 
childhood, seems ever new. From each Evan- 
gelist in turn, we hear it. We follow Jesus, 
on that last night, as He leaves the upper 
room, with His eleven disciples : — we follow 
Him — from the golden gate of Jerusalem — 
down the valley of Kedron — across that little 
stream — into the Garden of Gethsemane. 
We are led on, with St. Peter, St. James, and 
St. John, to watch with Him, as, in that 



ioo SOME WEEK-DAYS JN LENT. 

strange mysterious silence which some of you 
have felt in Holy Week, we almost hear those 
"great drops of Blood falling down to the 
ground." Onward we go, with Him: we see 
that sacred Back given to the smiters — the 
purple robe — the cruel nails — the Cross — the 
darkness : we hear the awful cry : " My God, 
My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ? " 

Then, the Holy Spirit takes that knowl- 
edge of sin which we have gained in the early 
days of Lent, and He applies the awful his- 
tory to each heart and conscience ; He helps 
us to look at our sin in the light of Cal- 
vary. 

" What must sin be " — He whispers in those 
quiet hours — "what must there be in six, if 
its poison could only be healed by that Blood- 
shedding? And thou hast sinned! Thou 
hast found out, this Lent, it may be, hundreds 
of sins : and each of these sins was so dread- 
ful, in God's sight, that His Dear Son must 
die, before that sin could be taken away ! 

But the Blessed Spirit does not leave us 
here. After that vision of sin, He takes us 



SATURDAY. 101 

aside, on Good Friday, and tells us, in softer 
accents, of the Love of Jesus. 

" O Love of God ! O sin of man ! 

In this dread act your strength is tried; 
And Victory remains with love. 
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified." 

" Was ever Love like His ? " — the Holy 
Spirit pleads. " Was ever Sin like thine ? 
Behold the Love of Christ, which passeth 
knowledge! By that Love, measure thy 
exceeding sinfulness. All thy life, thou hast 
been sinning against this Love ! All thy life, 
thou hast been grieving such a. Saviour as 
this ! He has seen thee a coward ! — afraid of 
suffering for Him; giving up prayer, etc., 
rather than be laughed at, or lose a little of 
this world's money, or pleasures ! ' Not this 
man, but Barabbas,' has been the cry of thy 
heart. The world, for me ! — its pleasures — 
its popularity — its fleeting joys ! " 

"Year after year, this Jesus of Nazareth 
has passed by. Year after year, He has 
knocked at the door of thy heart; but He 
has found no entrance. There has been a 



102 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

welcome for earthly friends, but no welcome 
for Him. Again and again, He has been 
wounded — pierced — crucified ; — by thee / 

Thus the Holy Spirit whispers, in the 
quiet hours of Holy Week, till sin appears 
to us — what it really is — "exceeding sinful." 

Yet, instead of driving us away from Him 
in fear, the Holy Spirit draws us nearer to 
the Lord Jesus. For thus He speaks to our 
troubled spirit : " If He had not loved you, 
He would not have been grieved by your sin. 
If He cared enough about you to be grieved 
when He saw you sinning, careless and im- 
penitent, surely you can trust Him to care 
for you now — now, when He sees you lying 
thus at His feet, wishing to repent and to 
walk in newness of life ? " 

It is thus that God the Holy Ghost — who 
is a Living Person, remember, — takes the 
words of the old Gospel, and applies them ; 
until, by the mighty power of that Divine 
Spirit, the heart is broken — it knows not 
how. It has looked on Him Whom it has 
pierced ; and it mourns. 



SATURDAY. 103 

Thank God for the privileges of Holy 
Week ! They are among the many blessings 
of that dear old Church into which we have 
been baptized. Instead of leaving you to 
depend on the temperament of your Clergy- 
man, or the circumstances of your Parish at 
the time, the Church takes you — wherever 
you are — out of the din and bustle of the 
world, and sets the " Holy Week " apart 
for this especial purpose — that God the Holy 
Ghost may work in you a true Contrition, 
while, in sympathy with thousands of your 
fellow-Christians throughout all the world, 
you think of "Jesus Christ and Him cru- 
cified." 

Many there are, who have never known the 
privileges thus offered to you. Value them. 
Use your opportunities. Make the effort 
needed, according to the time at your dis- 
posal. Let this Holy Week be set apart, as 
much as possible, for God. 

Come and listen — every day, if you can — to 
the Story of the Cross. All our Church 
Services are so arranged as to provide the 



104 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

material on which the Holy Spirit may 
work. 

Then, after that quiet teaching in God's 
House, try to follow out at home, so far as 
you have opportunity, what you have been 
taught in Church. 

Do not be disheartened, if you find no 
Contrition at first. " In due season we shall 
reap, if we faint not " (Gal. vi. 9). When you 
kneel quietly down, to think of Jesus and His 
Sufferings, say to yourself: "I am in God's 
Presence ; " and ask Him to pour upon you 
the Spirit of grace and of supplications, that 
you may look on Him Whom you have 
pierced, and mourn for Him. Plead that 
Promise (Zech. xii. 10). Acknowledge to 
God that you cannot make yourself feel 
sorry. Say to Him : " O my God, I know 
that I have sinned. I have been an un- 
profitable servant — an ungrateful child : and 
yet, I cannot feel sorry ! Let Thy Blessed 
Spirit produce this sorrow in me." 

If God gives you no sense of sorrow on 
that day, remember, " It is good that a man 



SATURDAY. 105 

should both hope and quietly wait for the 
Salvation of the Lord" (Lam. iii. 25, 26). 
"Hold thee still in the Lord, and abide 
patiently upon Him," saying: "Not my will, 
but Thine, be done " (Ps. xxxvii. 7). 

And God will answer your prayer: prob- 
ably, before Holy Week is over. 

How, — I know not. God works in various 
ways. Your sorrow may be like that of St. 
Peter, who went out and wept bitterly. I 
have known many a strong man weep thus. 
Or it may be like those who smote their 
breasts and returned from Calvary in mourn- 
ful silence. 

But — in one way or another— God will 
certainly keep His Promise; He will take 
away the stony heart, and give you a heart 
of flesh (Ezek. xxxvi. 26). He will help 
you to sorrow for your sin, with true godly 
sorrow. 

God will help you — doubt it not — as He 
helped that poor sinner in Simon's house to 
mourn for her sin, when first she felt the Love 
of Jesus, and found out, for the first time, 

_ T ____ . — 



106 SOME WEEK- DA YS IN LENT. 

what a sinner she was, as she realized the 
Love against which she had sinned. 

That sorrow must have increased, as her 
love to Christ increased — as she learnt to 
know Him better, and watched Him sorrow- 
ing over sin, and healing them that had need 
of healing. It must have grown deeper, as 
she stood by His Cross ; and deeper yet, 
when she entered into the presence of her 
Lord and of His Redeemed, and heard that 
" new song " in honor of Him who had loved 
them and washed them from their sins in His 
own Blood. 

So also will it be with us, if only we yield 
to the Holy Spirit's teaching. This year, a 
little sorrow — the faint beginning of Contri- 
tion ; next year, by the Holy Spirit's help, 
a deeper sorrow ; our hearts becoming more 
and more softened, as we learn more of the 
Love of Jesus. 

Ever increasing will be that sorrow; and 
ever increasing also will be the joy of know- 
ing Him whose Blood has washed away our 
sins; till at last we enter the Kingdom of our 



SATURDAY. 107 

Father, and there learn, for the first time, 
how awful has been the guilt of even one 
little sin of our past lives, and how unspeak- 
able the Love of Him who died in order that 
that one little sin might be washed away. 

May the Holy Spirit show us our sin in 
the light of Jesus' Love, and bring out of the 
dreary work of Self-Examination, the quiet 
happiness — I had almost said, the joy — of 
Contrition ! 



END. 



By the same Author. 

GUIDE TO A DEVOUT LIFE. 

Being Counsels to the Confirmed. By the Rev. 
G. H. Wilkinson, M. A. Paper covers; 25 
cents. Bound with "What the Bible says about 
Prayer," in best cloth, black and gold, 75 cents. 

Bp. Huntington, in Introductory Note, says : — 

u This work answers so admirably a common 
want of parish ministers, and fulfills so completely 
the promise of its tide, that — as it seems to some 
of us who have read it — it ought to be offered to 
the American Church, and brought within the reach 
of all her children." 

Bp. Bedell writes : — 

" It is admirably devised for forming religious 
habits, a point sadly neglected in present education. 
It is so simple, so clear, and written with such gen- 
uine good sense, that it can scarcely fail both to 
attract and impress any earnest young Christian. 

" It so engaged me, that after reading the first 
two pages, I could not close it until I had read the 
whole. The author realizes two great truths, which 
enable him, by Divine grace, to be a wise guide. 
He believes in a living, loving, fiersojial Saviour, 
with whom a faithful Christian walks as with a 
friend ; and he believes in the actual presence of the 
Holy Ghost as a Person, whose constant and imme- 
diate influence leads to Christ, and keeps one in 
communion with Him. I hope the clergy of Ohio 
will make free use of the aid which so wise a guide 
as this puts within their power." 



Books for the Lenten Season. 

DEAR FEAST OF LENT. A series of Devotional Readings. Ar- 
ranged by the author of " Rutledge," U A Rosary for Lent," etc. i6mo, 
bevelled boards, red edges, $1.50. 

Welcome, dear feast of Lent ; who loves not thee 
He loves not temperance nor authority, 

But is composed of passion. 
The Scriptures bid us fast ; the Church says, now, 
Give to thy mother what thou wouldst allow 

To every corporation. — George Herbert. 

M I have read most of the manuscript of ' Dear Feast of Lent.' In my opin- 
ion it will make a better book, as a whole, than the popular and useful l Rosary 
for Lent,' by the same author." — The Rev. G. H. Houghton, D.D. 

A ROSARY FOR LENT; or, Devotional Readings, Original and 
Compiled. By the author of M Rutledge." New edition. Price reduced 
to $1.50. 

HELPS TO A HOL Y LENT. By the Rt. Rev. F. D. Huntington, 
D.D., Bishop of Central New York. Fourth thousand. 208 pp., $1.25. 

" The thoughts are deeply practical, coming home to one's every-day life, 
not dealing with vague generalities, but making the reader reflect about his 
own faults, or sins, or shortcomings, and leading him to look to Christ alone as 
the Sin-Bearer as well as our Example. We wish all our people, especially the 
men, had this volume to help them in their daily life."— Southern Church- 
man. 

" No American writer exceeds Bishop Huntington in purity and beauty of 
style, — in the grace of culture as subtle and all-pervading as the perfume of 
flowers. Yet these merits will seem comparatively light to those who can ap- 
preciate the depth of spiritual feeling and insight, the warmth of Christian 
love, and the depth of Christian peace which pervade his writings." — The 
Christian Union. 

CHRISTIAN COUNSELS. Selected from the Devotional. Works of 
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" Characterized by an intensity of feeling, a purity and nobleness of thought, 
an insight into the deeper religious sentiments, such as make them exceedingly 
precious." — London Literary World. 



Books for the Lenten Season. 

A DAY WITH CHRIST. By the Rev. Samuel Cox. Bevelled 

boards, red edges, $1.25. 

The events of one day in the life of our Lord, to help us to imagine what 
the life of Christ was like. 

" It is a model of clearness in style, and there is a sustained interest about it 
which is very rare. I cannot but think it would be a valuable addition to 
that literature, partly expository and partly devotional, of which there is so 
little that is really good."— The Rev. H. C. Potter \ D.D. 

THE CHOKED LIFE. Some Thoughts for Lent. By the Rev. H. 
C. Potter, D.D. Paper, 15 cents. 
Plain truths, plainly told, with equal delicacy and force. 

COUNSELS ON HOLINESS OF LIFE. Being the first of 

11 The Sinner's Guide." Translated from the Spanish of Luis de Granada. 
Edited by the Rev. Orby Shipley. 310 pp., red edges, $2.00. 

DAIL Y HYMNS ; Or, Hymns for Every Day in Lent. BeveUed boards, 
gilt edge, 75 cents. 

LENT: A PRECIOUS SEASON. With an Application to Con- 
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HOB ART'S FESTIVALS AND FASTS. A Companion for 
the Festivals and Fasts of the Protestant Episcopal Church, principally 
selected and altered from Nelson's Companion. With forms of Devotion 
by the Rt. Rev. John Henry Hobart, D.D. Twenty-third Edition, umo, 
$1.50. 

STEPS TO A LIVING FAITH. Being Letters to an Indifferent 
Believer. A Tract for Parish use. By the Rt. Rev. F. D. Huntington, 
D.D., Bishop of Central New York. Paper, 25 cents ; cloth, 75 cents. 
M We commend it very heartily to rectors of parishes, as a means of arousing 
the indifferent, and stirring up their own minds and hearts to a greater devo- 
tion." — The Churchman. 

" It meets admirably the difficulties which are felt by many intelligent per- 
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E. P. Dutton and Company Publish 

iFor Confirmation anb tlje igoij) Comtmmion. 



A MANUAL OF CONFIRMATION'. By E. M. Goulbum, D. D. 
With an Introductory Note and an Appeal, by Henry C. Potter, D. D. Paper, 
67 pp., 20 cents. 
This most useful manual consists of four parts. 

I. A General Account of the Ordinance of Confirmation. Here 
is shown with great clearness, — ( 1) its Scriptural ground ; (2) its history ; (3) the 
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II. The Baptismal Vow and the Order of Confirmation ; with short 
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III. Meditations and Prayers. These reflect the deep earnestness for 
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IV. An Appeal. This wiL be found to supply just such thoughts as every 
clergyman must have felt the need of in his regular work, and a satisfactory an- 
swer to many of those difficulties which beset the wavering. 

CONFIRMA TION; or, Are you ready to serve Christ? By the Rt. 
Rev. Ashton Oxenden, D. D., Bishop of Montreal. From the 313th Thou- 
sand of English edition. Paper, 10 cents. 

OBSER VA TIONS on the Nature, Duty, and Benefits of the 
Apostolic Rite of Confirmation. By the Rt Rev. George M. Ran- 
dall, D. D. Seventh edition, paper, 10 cents. 

CONFIRMA TION, EXPLAINED AND DEFENDED. By 
the Rev. James A. Bolles, D. D. 10 cents. 

A PLAIN TRACT ON CONFIRMATION. By the Rt. Rev. 
C. T. Quintard, D. D. 10 cents. 

A PREPARA TION FOR CONFIRMA TION. By the Rt Rev. 
C. T. Quintard, D. D. Price reduced to 12 cents. 

THE PASTOR'S APPEAL TO HIS FLOCK. On Confirma- 
tion, the Holy Communion, and the Christian Life. 8 cents. 



E. P. Dutton and Company Publish 

OUR VOWS. To be read in Preparation for Baptism, Confirmation, and 
the Eucharist. By the Rev. Richard Lowndes. Revised and adapted to 
use in the Church in the United States. Paper, 30 cents ; cloth, 60 cents. 

THE SISTERS CLARE. Preparing for Confirmation. Paper, 10 
cents ; cloth, 30 cents. 

A GUIDE for the Instruction of Adult Candidates for Holy 
Baptism. Intended to accompany the personal direction of the Parish 
Priest. By the Rev. Morgan Dix, S. T. D. 15 cents. 

PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS FOR THE HOLY 
COMMUNION. With a Preface by Bishop Ellicott, and the Communion 
Service of the American Prayer Book. Rubrics and border in red. Price re- 
duced to 75 cents. 
Rarely has it happened to us to meet with so remarkable a combination of 

thorough practicalness with that almost poetic warmth which is the highest flower 

of genuine devotion. — Literary Churchman. 

PREPARATION FOR THE HOLY COMMUNION By 
Miss Sewell. To which is added the Communion Service. Cloth, red edges, 
50 cents. 

BISHOP WILSON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. Adapted 
to the American Service. Red Line Edition. Cloth, red edge, $1 ; Turkey 
morocco, or calf flexible, $2.50. 

EUCHARISTIC WEEK. By the Rev. E. A. Hoffinan, D. D. Cloth, 
50 cents. 

GUIDE TO A DEVOUT LIFE. Being Counsels to the Confirmed. 
By the Rev. G. H. Wilkinson, M. A. Paper covers, 25 cents; bound with 
"What the Bible says about Prayer," in best cloth, black and gold, 75 cents. 
"It is admirably devised for forming religious habits, — a point sadly neg- 
lected in present education. It is so simple, so clear, and written with such 
genuine good sense, that it can scarcely fail both to attract and impress any 
earnest young Christian." — Bishop Bedell. 

A PREPARATION FOR THE HOLY COMMUNION. 
By the Rev. J. T. Wheat, D. D. Muslin, 60 cents ; red edges, 70 cents. 

ROSALIE ; or, First Communion. 10 cents ; cloth, 30 cents. 



(31/ 



GUIDE TO A DEVOUT LIFE. 

Being Counsels to the Confirmed. By ihe Rev. G. H. Wilkinson, 
M.A. Paper covers; 25 cents. Bound with "What the Bible says 
about Prayer," in best cloth, black and gold, 75 cents. 

A carefully systematized plan of directions, which, for sound sense 
and real piety, we have never seen equaled. — An English Church 
Paper. 

Will be found to be among the very best and most useful of devo- 
tional books. — The Churchman. 

It is, without exception, the best book of the kind I have ever seen, 
and it would be difficult, it seems to me, for anv one to make a better. 
— A City Rector. 

BREAK UP TOUR FALLOW GROUND. 

A Help to Self-Examination. By the Rev. G. H Wilkinson, 
M. A. Paper covers ; 20 cents. 

COME TO THE MISSION. 

A Leaflet for Distribution at Mission Services. By the Rev. G. H. 
Wilkinson, M. A. From the sixtieth thousand of the English 
Edition. Price, per hundred, $1.50. 

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT PRAYER. 

Questions relating to Prayer answered i- the Words of the Bible, 
with References. By G. W. Moon. Paper, 34 pages; 10 cents. 

LENTEN DISCIPLINE. 

By the Rev. H. A. Yardley, Chaplain and Professor in the Berke- 
ley Divinity School. Paper; 8 cents. 

Setting forth, in an attractive form, the value of Retirement, Self- 
Denial, and Special Religious Exercises at this season. 

HELPS TO A HOLY LENT. 

By the Rt. Rev. F. D. Huntington, D. D., Bishop of Central 
Mew York. Third edition. i6mo. 20S pages ; S1.25. 

A rich treasury filled with beautiful, living thoughts, the power and 
attraction of which will be confessed by all who give the work due 
examination. — Churchmaii- 

STEPS TO A LIVING EAITH. 

Being Letters to an Indifferent Believer. A Tract for Parish use. 
By 'he Bishop of Central New York. Paper ; 25 cents. 

Sent by mail, postage-paid, on receipt of price. 

E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY, 

CHURCH PUBLISHERS, 

713 BROADWAY, New York. 



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